Co-reporter:Qifeng Mu, Qingsong Zhang, Lu Gao, Zhiyong Chu, Zhongyu Cai, Xiaoyong Zhang, Ke Wang, and Yen Wei
Langmuir October 3, 2017 Volume 33(Issue 39) pp:10291-10291
Publication Date(Web):September 6, 2017
DOI:10.1021/acs.langmuir.7b02275
Electrospinning provides a facile and versatile method for generating nanofibers from a large variety of starting materials, including polymers, ceramic, composites, and micro-/nanocolloids. In particular, incorporating functional nanoparticles (NPs) with polymeric materials endows the electrospun fibers/sheets with novel or better performance. This work evaluates the spinnability of polyacrylamide (PAAm) solution containing thermoresponsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-tert-butyl acrylate) microgel nanospheres (PNTs) prepared by colloid electrospinning. In the presence of a suitable weight ratio (1:4) of PAAm and PNTs, the in-fiber arrangements of PNTs-electrospun fibers will evolve into chain-like arrays and beads-on-string structures by confining of PAAm nanofibers, and then the free amide groups of PAAm can bind amide moieties on the surfaces of PNTs, resulting in the assembling of PNTs in the cores of PAAm fibers. The present work serves as a reference in the fabrication of novel thermoresponsive hybrid fibers involving functional nanospheres via electrospun packing. The prepared nanofibers with chain-like and thermoresponsive colloid arrays in the cores are expected to have potential application in various fields.
Co-reporter:Meng Huo, Min Zeng, Dan Li, Lei Liu, Yen Wei, and Jinying Yuan
Macromolecules October 24, 2017 Volume 50(Issue 20) pp:8212-8212
Publication Date(Web):October 9, 2017
DOI:10.1021/acs.macromol.7b01629
Polymer self-assembly has been one of the most important strategies for preparation of multicompartment micelles (MCMs). However, the traditional self-assembly techniques are constrained by limited common solvent, complex kinetic factors, low solids content, etc. Polymerization-induced self-assembly (PISA) is a novel technique for preparation of polymer assemblies at high solids content and has been exploited to produce MCMs. Nevertheless, the morphology evolution of the MCMs obtained through PISA has not yet been well understood. Herein, we study the compartmentalization behaviors of a series of MCMs constituted by poly(N,N-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate)-b-poly(benzyl methacrylate)-b-poly(2-perfluorohexylethyl methacrylate) (PDMA-b-PBzMA-b-PFHEMA) triblock terpolymers, which were synthesized by seeded reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) dispersion polymerization of FHEMA using PDMA-b-PBzMA micelles, wormlike micelles, or vesicles as the seeds. Because of the strong incompatibility between PBzMA and PFHEMA, MCMs with abundant compartmentalized nanostructures were produced. Phosphotungstic acid- and RuO4-stained TEM images of these MCMs indicate that their morphologies are controlled by both the DPs of PBzMA and PFHEMA. Our results suggest that PISA could serve as a reliable platform for revealing the compartmentalization behaviors of polymeric assemblies.
Co-reporter:Meng Huo, Yiyang Zhang, Min Zeng, Lei Liu, Yen Wei, and Jinying Yuan
Macromolecules October 24, 2017 Volume 50(Issue 20) pp:8192-8192
Publication Date(Web):October 5, 2017
DOI:10.1021/acs.macromol.7b01437
Mesogen-containing amphiphilic block copolymers have shown extremely abundant self-assembly behaviors because of the liquid crystalline (LC) alignment within the assemblies. However, development of an understanding of the self-assembly behaviors of these amphiphilic LC polymers is still constrained by the low assembly concentration and complex kinetic effects. Polymerization-induced self-assembly (PISA) is a powerful technique to prepare polymer assemblies at high solids content with good repeatability. Taking advantage of PISA, we systematically study the self-assembly behaviors of a series of mesogen-containing triblock copolymers poly(2-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate)-b-poly(benzyl methacrylate)-b-poly(2-perfluorooctylethyl methacrylate) (PDMA-b-PBzMA-b-PFMA), which are prepared by seeded reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer dispersion polymerization of FMA with PDMA-b-PBzMA micelles or vesicles as the seeds. When PDMA-b-PBzMA micelles are used, the morphology of the PDMA-b-PBzMA-b-PFMA assemblies evolves from spheroid to phase-segregated sphere, followed by phase-segregated spheroid, and eventually to cylinder, while the assemblies undergo a vesicle-to-micelle transition with a framboidal intermediate when PDMA-b-PBzMA vesicles are used as the seeds. These spherical micelles further fuse to cylinders or large spheres depending on the DPs of PBzMA and PFMA blocks. The LC ordering of the PFMA blocks is examined by differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction; the microphase segregation between PFMA and PBzMA blocks is studied with TEM and atomic force microscopy. These experiments evince that the formation of the ellipsoidal and cylindrical micelles is driven by the LC alignment of PFMA blocks, while the microphase segregation between PFMA and PBzMA blocks complicates the ultimate morphology through modulating the size of PFMA nanodomains. The interplay of the hydrophobic interaction among PBzMA blocks, lipophobic interaction, and LC ordering of PFMA blocks thus generates the above self-assembly behaviors.
Co-reporter:Meng Huo, Ziyang Xu, Min Zeng, Pengyu Chen, Lei Liu, Li-Tang Yan, Yen Wei, and Jinying Yuan
Macromolecules December 26, 2017 Volume 50(Issue 24) pp:9750-9750
Publication Date(Web):December 5, 2017
DOI:10.1021/acs.macromol.7b02039
The significance of polymer topology to the size and morphology of polymeric assemblies was less studied. Herein we report the preparation of polymersomes with tunable sizes via topological engineering of the solvophobic block of the amphiphilic copolymer in polymerization-induced self-assembly (PISA). The topology of the solvophobic block could be facilely regulated by reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) dispersion copolymerization of two kinds of monomers with distinctive molecular geometries at variable feed ratios. As a proof-of-concept study, RAFT dispersion copolymerization of benzyl methacrylate (BzMA) and stearyl methacrylate (SMA) produced polymersomes with size ranging from 200 to 1500 nm depending on the ratio of BzMA/SMA. Besides vesicles, assemblies with complex internal structures were obtained by varying the ratio of BzMA/SMA, suggesting the robustness of this strategy. The mechanism was revealed by a series of coarse-grained molecular simulations, which elucidated the dependence of the packing parameter on the composition of the solvophobic block. The generality and modularity for regulating vesicular size by topological engineering of solvophobic block were further established by RAFT dispersion copolymerization of BzMA and 2-(perfluorooctyl)ethyl methacrylate, which also generated polymersomes with tunable sizes. The topological engineering of copolymer by RAFT dispersion copolymerization thus serves as a versatile and modular approach to controlling the size and morphology of polymer assemblies.
Co-reporter:Chunping Ma, Xiqi Zhang, Liutao Yang, Yang Li, Hongliang Liu, Yang Yang, Gaoyi Xie, Yong-Cong Ou, Yen Wei
Dyes and Pigments 2017 Volume 136() pp:85-91
Publication Date(Web):January 2017
DOI:10.1016/j.dyepig.2016.08.031
•Four acrylonitrile derivatives with different length of alkyl chains were synthesized.•The derivatives exhibited aggregation-induced emission feature.•The derivatives showed alkyl length dependent mechanofluorochromism.•The mechanofluorochromism was affected by molecular polarity and crystalline performance.Four alkyl phenothiazinyl fluorophenyl acrylonitrile derivatives (PhC3F, PhC6F, PhC10F, and PhC12F) with different length of alkyl chains were synthesized in high yield. The compounds showed obvious aggregation-induced emission (AIE) and alkyl length dependent mechanofluorochromic (MFC) properties. PhC3F with propyl chain and PhC12F with dodecyl chain showed obvious and reversible MFC behaviours, while PhC6F with hexyl chain and PhC10F with decyl chain exhibited little MFC property. Small and wide-angle X-ray scattering indicated the MFC behaviour of PhC3F and PhC12F were attributed to the phase transformation from crystalline to amorphous state, while PhC6F maintained excellent crystalline performance before and after grinding, which was also evidenced by differential scanning calorimetry result. Quantum mechanical computations further revealed PhC6F had high molecular polarity, which greatly improved its crystalline performance, and made its original aggregated morphology hard to damage, then brought about little MFC diversification. PhC10F showed the highest molecular polarity and least MFC behaviour. We concluded that obvious MFC feature derived from appropriate crystalline performance, favourable molecular polarity and energy gap.
Co-reporter:Lu Han, Cheng-Mei Liu, Shi-Lei Dong, Cai-Xia Du, Xiao-Yong Zhang, Lu-Hai Li, Yen Wei
Biosensors and Bioelectronics 2017 Volume 87() pp:466-472
Publication Date(Web):15 January 2017
DOI:10.1016/j.bios.2016.08.004
•rGO/Ag NPs composites with enhanced electrical conductivity were successfully prepared using the binary reductants.•Using rGO/Ag NP composites as electrode materials, a low-cost label-free electrochemical immunosensor was easily constructed.•The proposed PSA immunosensor exhibited a linear detection range 1.0–1000 ng/ml and a low detection limit of 0.01 ng/ml.Electrode materials play a vital role in the development of electrochemical immunosensors (EIs), particularly of label-free EIs. In this study, composites containing reduced graphene oxide with silver nanoparticles (rGO/Ag NPs) were synthesized using binary reductants, i.e. hydrazine hydrate and sodium citrate. Due to the fact that graphene oxide (GO) was fully restored to rGO, and rGO stacking was effectively inhibited by insertion of small Ag NPs between the graphene sheets, the electrical conductivity of rGO/Ag NPs composites was significantly improved compared to rGO alone, with an enhancement factor of 346% at 40 wt% of rGO. Moreover, the conducting path between rGO and Ag NPs formed because the structural defects in rGO were effectively repaired by decoration with Ag NPs. Subsequently, based on a screen-printed three-electrode system, a label-free EI for detecting prostate-specific antigen (PSA) was constructed using rGO/Ag NPs composites as a support material. The fabricated EIs demonstrated a wide linear response range (1.0–1000 ng/ml), low detection limit (0.01 ng/ml) and excellent specificity, reproducibility and stability. Thus, the proposed EIs based on rGO/Ag NPs composites can be easily extended for the ultrasensitive detection of different protein biomarkers.
Co-reporter:Xuefeng Yang;Guoqiang Liu;Liao Peng;Jinhua Guo;Lei Tao;Jinying Yuan;Chunyu Chang;Lina Zhang
Advanced Functional Materials 2017 Volume 27(Issue 40) pp:
Publication Date(Web):2017/10/01
DOI:10.1002/adfm.201703174
AbstractTo face the increasing demand of self-healing hydrogels with biocompatibility and high performances, a new class of cellulose-based self-healing hydrogels are constructed through dynamic covalent acylhydrazone linkages. The carboxyethyl cellulose-graft-dithiodipropionate dihydrazide and dibenzaldehyde-terminated poly(ethylene glycol) are synthesized, and then the hydrogels are formed from their mixed solutions under 4-amino-DL-phenylalanine (4a-Phe) catalysis. The chemical structure, as well as microscopic morphologies, gelation times, mechanical and self-healing performances of the hydrogels are investigated with 1H NMR, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, rheological and compression measurements. Their gelation times can be controlled by varying the total polymer concentration or 4a-Phe content. The resulted hydrogels exhibit excellent self-healing ability with a high healing efficiency (≈96%) and good mechanical properties. Moreover, the hydrogels display pH/redox dual responsive sol-gel transition behaviors, and are applied successfully to the controlled release of doxorubicin. Importantly, benefitting from the excellent biocompatibility and the reversibly cross-linked networks, the hydrogels can function as suitable 3D culture scaffolds for L929 cells, leading to the encapsulated cells maintaining a high viability and proliferative capacity. Therefore, the cellulose-based self-healing hydrogels show potential applications in drug delivery and 3D cell culture for tissue engineering.
Co-reporter:Zhen Li;Yang Yang;Zhenhua Wang;Xiaoyong Zhang;Qiaomei Chen;Xiaojie Qian;Na Liu;Yan Ji
Journal of Materials Chemistry A 2017 vol. 5(Issue 14) pp:6740-6746
Publication Date(Web):2017/04/04
DOI:10.1039/C7TA00458C
Achieving 3D structures that can be reversibly formed from dry 2D polymer films is useful for the development of suitable smart materials capable of converting an external stimulus into a mechanical response. For the construction of dynamic 3D structures, carbon nanotubes dispersed in liquid crystalline vitrimers constitute so far one of the few available materials that can show robust reconfiguration, easy repair, and low-temperature resistance. However, the severe aggregation of carbon nanotubes causes defects in the materials formed and incurs additional costs. Here, we show that organic polydopamine (PDA) nanoparticles can well replace carbon nanotubes to make suitable liquid crystalline vitrimers for the construction of dynamic 3D structures. We were able to disperse the PDA nanoparticles homogenously into the polymer matrix without carrying out any surface modification and without using any dispersant or sonication, which are required procedures for dispersing almost all inorganic nanoparticles into a polymer matrix. Moreover, the mechanical properties of the liquid crystalline vitrimer were found to be greatly improved. Using this composite, we also showed here a new method to achieve light-controlled 3D deformation into static structures.
Co-reporter:Zengfang Huang;Qiaomei Chen;Qing Wan;Ke Wang;Jinying Yuan;Xiaoyong Zhang;Lei Tao
Polymer Chemistry (2010-Present) 2017 vol. 8(Issue 33) pp:4805-4810
Publication Date(Web):2017/08/22
DOI:10.1039/C7PY00926G
Recently, amphiphilic fluorescent polymers based on aggregation-induced emission (AIE) have been attracting much attention for their application in the bioimaging field. In this study, by employing PEGMA and TPB as hydrophilic and hydrophobic segments, respectively, novel amphiphilic polymers with AIE features were successfully prepared via the combination of RAFT polymerization and the Hantzsch reaction for the first time. For the same 25% feed ratio of TPB, the molar fraction of TPB in two-step PEG-DHP1 polymers and one-pot PEG-DHP2 polymers was respectively about 20.2% and 23.5%, and their weight average molecular weights (Mn) were about 21 000 and 25 000 with a narrow PDI. From the 1H NMR analysis, the polymer structure by the one-pot method was similar to that by the two-step method. When the feed ratio was increased to 30%, the molar fraction of TPB in one-pot PEG-DHP3 polymers and the corresponding Mn respectively changed to 27.6% and 20 000. In aqueous solution, the obtained amphiphilic PEG-DHP2 polymers tended to self-assemble into fluorescent organic nanoparticles (FONs) with 100–200 nm size, whose fluorescence spectrum presented the maximal emission peak at 460 nm with the obvious AIE phenomenon. More importantly, as a result of the high water dispersibility, good fluorescence, nano morphology and excellent biocompatibility, the as-prepared polymers are attractive for application in cell imaging.
Co-reporter:Guangjian Zeng;Meiying Liu;Ruming Jiang;Qiang Huang;Long Huang;Qing Wan;Yanfeng Dai;Yuanqing Wen;Xiaoyong Zhang
Polymer Chemistry (2010-Present) 2017 vol. 8(Issue 32) pp:4746-4751
Publication Date(Web):2017/08/15
DOI:10.1039/C7PY00884H
Fluorescent nanoparticles have been attracting more and more interest from scientists in chemistry, materials, medical and biology fields. Among them, fluorescent nanoparticles with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) character stand out as the most promising candidates for different applications especially in the biomedical field. In this work, we reported for the first time that amphiphilic polymers containing a hydrophobic AIE dye and a hydrophilic poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) segment can be facilely fabricated based on a Mannich reaction, which could conjugate the phenol hydroxyl-containing AIE dye (PhE-OH), paraformaldehyde and 4-arm poly(ethylene glycol)amine (4-arm PEG-NH2) in one pot. The obtained PEG-PhE fluorescent polymeric nanoparticles (FPNs) were ascertained by a series of characterization techniques. Moreover, the cell viability and cell uptake behavior of PEG-PhE FPNs were also investigated to evaluate their potential for biomedical applications. The results suggest that the PEG-PhE FPNs show great potential application in the field of biomedical science. More importantly, the strategy used in this work can also be extended for the preparation of many other various AIE-active FPNs with different functional polymers.
Co-reporter:Meng Huo;Haotian Du;Min Zeng;Long Pan;Tommy Fang;Xuming Xie;Jinying Yuan
Polymer Chemistry (2010-Present) 2017 vol. 8(Issue 18) pp:2833-2840
Publication Date(Web):2017/05/09
DOI:10.1039/C7PY00214A
The integration of stimuli-responsive polymers with polymeric assemblies enables exquisite control over their nanostructures. Herein, we report the CO2-regulated self-assembly behaviors of a series of amphiphilic miktoarm star terpolymers star-[poly(ethylene glycol)-polystyrene-poly[2-(N,N-diethylamino)ethyl methacrylate]] (μ-PEG-PS-PDEA). These μ-PEG-PS-PDEA assemblies show enhanced CO2-responsibility with the increase in the molecular weight (Mn) of the PDEA segment. For μ-PEG-PS-PDEAx (x represents the Mn of the PDEA block, x = 9.3k, 12.2k, 25k), we observed an unusual sphere/vesicle-to-lamella transition upon CO2 stimulation. As the Mn of PDEA increases from 9.3k to 25k, the morphology of these lamellae evolves from nanophase segregated “E. coli-shaped” nanosheets to nanoribbons, then to nanodiscs. We studied the pH, zeta potential and the microscopy images of the assemblies before and after CO2 stimulation, and accordingly speculated the possible mechanisms for the morphology transformation and the nanophase segregation. Our results indicate that the combination of CO2 stimulation with miktoarm star polymers could potentially extend the horizon of macromolecular self-assembly.
Co-reporter:Long Huang, Meiying Liu, Liucheng Mao, Qiang Huang, Hongye Huang, Qing Wan, Jianwen Tian, Yuanqing Wen, Xiaoyong Zhang, Yen Wei
Materials Science and Engineering: C 2017 Volume 81(Volume 81) pp:
Publication Date(Web):1 December 2017
DOI:10.1016/j.msec.2017.07.039
•Surface modification of SBA-15 through chain transfer free radical polymerization•SBA-15-SH-poly(PEGMA-co-IA) composites show well water dispersity.•SBA-15-SH-poly(PEGMA-co-IA) composites show controlled drug release behavior.•Chain transfer free radical polymerization is promising for fabrication multifunctional polymer composites.As a new type of mesoporous silica materials with large pore diameter (pore size between 2 and 50 nm) and high specific surface areas, SBA-15 has been widely explored for different applications especially in the biomedical fields. The surface modification of SBA-15 with functional polymers has demonstrated to be an effective way for improving its properties and performance. In this work, we reported the preparation of PEGylated SBA-15 polymer composites through surface-initiated chain transfer free radical polymerization for the first time. The thiol group was first introduced on SBA-15 via co-condensation with γ-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane (MPTS), that were utilized to initiate the chain transfer free radical polymerization using poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate (PEGMA) and itaconic acid (IA) as the monomers. The successful modification of SBA-15 with poly(PEGMA-co-IA) copolymers was evidenced by a series of characterization techniques, including 1H NMR, FT-IR, TGA and XPS. The final SBA-15-SH- poly(PEGMA-co-IA) composites display well water dispersity and high loading capability towards cisplatin (CDDP) owing to the introduction of hydrophilic PEGMA and carboxyl groups. Furthermore, the CDDP could be released from SBA-15-SH-poly(PEGMA-co-IA)-CDDP complexes in a pH dependent behavior, suggesting the potential controlled drug delivery of SBA-15-SH-poly(PEGMA-co-IA). More importantly, the strategy should be also useful for fabrication of many other functional materials for biomedical applications owing to the advantages of SBA-15 and well monomer adoptability of chain transfer free radical polymerization.Download high-res image (138KB)Download full-size image
Co-reporter:Qiulan Lv, Meiying Liu, Ke Wang, Liucheng Mao, ... Yen Wei
Journal of the Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers 2017 Volume 75(Volume 75) pp:
Publication Date(Web):1 June 2017
DOI:10.1016/j.jtice.2017.03.023
•AIE-active LPNs were prepared via one-step Michael addition reaction.•The experimental conditions of Michael addition reaction is rather mild.•These AIE-active LPNs showed great potential for biological applications.The luminescent polymeric nanoparticles (LPNs) with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) properties have emerged as one of the most promising nanoprobes for their unique optical properties. The typical optical feature of AIE-active LPNs should be their obviously enhanced luminescence in aggregation or solid state, which can effectively overcome aggregation caused quenching effects of conventional organic dyes. In this study, we reported for the first time that highly emissive LPNs (named as TPE-E-PAMAM) can be simply fabricated via direct conjugation of tetraphenylethene derivative (TPE-E) with polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers, which relied on a one-step Michael addition reaction between ene group of TPE-E and amino group of PAMAM dendrimers under rather mild experimental conditions. Because of the strong intermolecular interaction of TPE-E PAMAM copolymers, they can form compact spheres in water and exhibit strong fluorescence in aqueous solution. TPE-E PAMAM LPNs possess high water dispersity, uniform morphology and desirable biocompatibility for biological imaging. More importantly, with large numbers of amino groups on the shell and valid space in the core, PAMAM-TPE-E LPNs have great potential for targeted gene delivery. Taken together, we described a facile one-step covalent strategy for developing AIE-active amphipathic dendrimers, which showed great potential for biomedicine applications.Aggregation induced emission (AIE) active branched polymeric nanoparticles were fabricated via a facile one-step conjugation reaction between the amino groups of polyamidoamine dendrimers and ene group of AIE dye. Download high-res image (167KB)Download full-size image
Co-reporter:Dazhuang Xu, Meiying Liu, Hui Zou, Qiang Huang, ... Yen Wei
Journal of the Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers 2017 Volume 78(Volume 78) pp:
Publication Date(Web):1 September 2017
DOI:10.1016/j.jtice.2017.05.024
•Fabrication of AIE-active FONs through supramolecular interactions.•The AIE-active FONs are well dispersed in water.•The AIE-active FONs possess low cytotoxicity.•The AIE-active FONs are promising for biological imaging.Supramolecular interactions between individual molecules are universal forces in living organisms and have been extensively investigated and utilized for fabrication of multifunctional materials over the past few decades. In this work, we reported a rather facile strategy to fabricate the fluorescent organic nanoparticles (FONs) with red fluorescence and aggregation-induced emission (AIE) feature through the supramolecular interactions between the β cyclodextrin (β-CD) and adamantine terminating AIE dye. The structures of prepared Ph-Ad/β-CD FONs were characterized by 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectroscopy. The size and morphology of the final self-assemblies (named as Ph-Ad/β-CD FONs) was characterized by transmission electronic microscopy (TEM). Results demonstrated that these AIE-active FONs can self-assemble into nanoparticles with excellent dispersity and strong fluorescence due to their AIE feature. Biological evaluation demonstrated that Ph-Ad/β-CD FONs has superior biocompatibility and imaging performance. These features endow the Ph-Ad/β-CD FONs good performance in biomedical fields.Download high-res image (133KB)Download full-size image
Co-reporter:Liucheng Mao, Meiying Liu, Long Huang, Dazhuang Xu, Qing Wan, Guangjian Zeng, Yanfeng Dai, Yuanqing Wen, Xiaoyong Zhang, Yen Wei
Materials Science and Engineering: C 2017 Volume 79(Volume 79) pp:
Publication Date(Web):1 October 2017
DOI:10.1016/j.msec.2017.05.107
•Surface modification of MSNs through photo-induced surface-initiated ATRP•MSNs-NH2-poly(IA-co-MPC) possess many remarkable properties.•MSNs-NH2-poly(IA-co-MPC) are potential utilized for controlled drug delivery applications.•The photo-induced polymerization should be promising for preparation of various multifunctional biomaterials.Surface modification of mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) with functional polymers has become one of the most interest topics over the last decade. Among various surface modification strategies, surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) has been regarded as one of the most effective methods. However, the typical ATRP strategy is relied on the transition metal ions and their organic ligands as the polymerization catalyst systems. In this work, a novel surface-initiated ATRP method was established for surface functionalization of MSNs using 10-Phenylphenothiazine (PTH) as the catalyst, 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) and itaconic acid (IA) as the monomers. We demonstrated that photo-induced ATRP is very effective for preparation of polymer functionalized MSNs (MSNs-NH2-poly(IA-co-MPC)). More importantly, MSNs-NH2-poly(IA-co-MPC) displayed well water dispersity, low cytotoxicity, high loading capability and controlled release behavior towards cisplatin. Furthermore, the method based on photo-induced surface-initiated ATRP could effectively overcome the drawbacks of conventional ATRP, which may involve in the residue of transition metal ions, high polymerization temperature, long polymerization term and complex experimental procedure. Therefore, this strategy described above is of great interest for fabrication of multifunctional polymer composites for various applications.Mesoporous silica nanoparticles were surface modified with copolymers via the metal-free ATRP and utilized for controlled drug delivery applications.Download high-res image (251KB)Download full-size image
Co-reporter:Yanzhu Liu, Liucheng Mao, Xinhua Liu, Meiying Liu, Dazhuang Xu, Ruming Jiang, Fengjie Deng, Yongxiu Li, Xiaoyong Zhang, Yen Wei
Materials Science and Engineering: C 2017 Volume 79(Volume 79) pp:
Publication Date(Web):1 October 2017
DOI:10.1016/j.msec.2017.05.108
•Fluorescent polymeric nanoparticles with aggregation-induced emission feature•Preparation of AIE-active FPNs through post modification strategy•These AIE-active FPNs show excellent physicochemical properties and good biocompatibility.•These AIE-active FPNs are of great potential for biomedical applications.Aggregation-induced emission (AIE) active fluorescent polymeric nanoparticles (FPNs) have recently emerged as the promising nanoprobes for biological imaging for their intensive fluorescence, good photostability, desirable biocompatibility and well designability of structure and optical properties. Herein, we proposed a novel strategy for fabrication of AIE-active FPNs through the post modification of synthetic copolymers to form Schiff base. The size, morphology, optical properties and biocompatibility as well as cell uptake behavior were evaluated in detailed. To fabricate these AIE-active FPNs, poly(PEG-co-VA) copolymers were first obtained via addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization using poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate (PEGMA) and 3-vinylaniline (VA) as the monomers. Then the AIE-active SA-poly(PEG-co-VA) FPNs were formed through the reaction between salicylaldehyde (SA) and VA. Results demonstrated that SA-poly(PEG-co-VA) FPNs possess bright fluorescence, superior photo-bleaching resistance, excellent biocompatibility and efficient cell uptake behavior. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report for fabrication AIE-active FPNs through post modification of synthetic copolymers. The facile fabrication procedure and the remarkable features suggested that these AIE-active FPNs promising candidates for biomedical applications.A novel type of fluorescent polymeric nanoprobes with aggregation-induced emission characteristic were facilely fabricated via post modification of synthetic polymers to form Schiff base.Download high-res image (148KB)Download full-size image
Co-reporter:Jianwen Tian, Ruming Jiang, Peng Gao, Dazhuang Xu, Liucheng Mao, Guangjian Zeng, Meiying Liu, Fengjie Deng, Xiaoyong Zhang, Yen Wei
Materials Science and Engineering: C 2017 Volume 79(Volume 79) pp:
Publication Date(Web):1 October 2017
DOI:10.1016/j.msec.2017.05.090
•Fabrication of amphiphilic luminescent poly(amino acid)s•These polymeric poly(amino acid)s show aggregation-induced emission feature.•These AIE-active polymers possess high water dispersity and strong luminescence.•These AIE-active polymers are promising for biomedical applications.The poly(amino acid)s based biomaterials have attracted great research attention over the past few decades because of their biocompatibility, biodegradability and well designability. Although much progress has achieved in the synthesis and biomedical applications of poly(amino acid)s, the synthesis of luminescent poly(amino acid)s has been rarely reported. In this work, novel amphiphilic luminescent poly(amino acid)s with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) feature have been synthesized by a new approach of controlling N-carboxy anhydride (NCA) ring-opening polymerization, in which hydrophobic 2-(4-aminophenyl)-3-(10-hexadecyl-4H-phenothiazin-3-yl)acrylonitrile (Phe-NH2) with AIE feature was used as initiator and hydrophilic oligomeric glycol functionalized glutamate (OEG-glu) NCA was acted as monomer. The successful synthesis of final Phe-OEG-Pglu polymers was confirmed by different characterization techniques. Phe-OEG-Pglu polymers possess amphiphilic properties and can self-assemble into luminescent polymeric nanoparticles (LPNs). Based on cellular imaging experiments, we demonstrated that Phe-OEG-Pglu LPNs have great potential for bio-imaging applications due to their attractive properties including strong fluorescence intensity, great water dispersibility, excellent biocompatibility and high cellular uptake efficiency.Luminescent polymeric nanoparticles with aggregation induced emission feature were prepared via a ring-opening polymerization using amino-containing AIE dye (Ph-NH2) as initiator and hydrophilic oligomeric glycol functionalized glutamate (OEG-glu) N-carboxy anhydride as monomer.Download high-res image (231KB)Download full-size image
Co-reporter:Long Huang, Meiying Liu, Liucheng Mao, Xiqi Zhang, Dazhuang Xu, Qing Wan, Qiang Huang, Yingge Shi, Fengjie Deng, Xiaoyong Zhang, Yen Wei
Materials Science and Engineering: C 2017 Volume 76(Volume 76) pp:
Publication Date(Web):1 July 2017
DOI:10.1016/j.msec.2017.03.122
•Preparation of aggregation-induced emission fluorescent organic nanoparticles•Cross-linked fluorescent copolymers with ultra-low critical micelle concentrations•These cross-linked AIE-active FONs show excellent optical properties and biocompatibility.•These cross-linked AIE-active FONs are promising candidates for biological imaging.In recent years, aggregation-induced emission (AIE) dyes based fluorescent organic nanoparticles (FONs) have achieved significant progress in various biomedical applications. In this work, we developed a covalent strategy to prepare biocompatible AIE-active dyes based cross-linked copolymers (MPC-POSS-PhE) via controllable reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization using zwitterionic 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC), polymerizable AIE dye (named as PhE) and 8-vinyl polyoctahedral silsesquioxanes (POSS) as monomers. Due to the existence of hydrophilic MPC and hydrophobic PhE, the resultant copolymers will self-assemble into core-shell nanoparticles in aqueous solution with ultra-low critical micelle concentration (CMC). This could effectively overcome the drawbacks of non-crosslinked micelles and show more attractive properties and better performance for biomedical applications. Furthermore, the characterization results and biological assays demonstrated that the final MPC-POSS-PhE FONs show stable aqueous stability, uniform size and morphology, high water dispersity, desirable optical properties and low cytotoxicity. These remarkable properties make the resultant AIE-active nanoprobes great potential for biomedical applications.Cross-linked fluorescent organic nanoparticles with aggregation-induced emission were fabricated through reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer polymerization using 8-vinyl polyoctahedral silsesquioxanes as the linkage and utilized for biological imaging.Download high-res image (250KB)Download full-size image
Co-reporter:Shengxian Yu, Dazhuang Xu, Qing Wan, Meiying Liu, Jianwen Tian, Qiang Huang, Fengjie Deng, Yuanqing Wen, Xiaoyong Zhang, Yen Wei
Materials Science and Engineering: C 2017 Volume 78(Volume 78) pp:
Publication Date(Web):1 September 2017
DOI:10.1016/j.msec.2017.04.064
•Fabrication of AIE-active fluorescent polymeric nanoparticles•A facile strategy based on Ce(IV)/HNO3 redox polymerization.•These AIE-active FPNs are biocompatible and biodegradable.•These AIE-active FPNs are promising for biomedical applications.Aggregation-induced emission (AIE) active fluorescence polymeric nanoparticles (FPNs) have recently received increasing interests for biomedical applications such as cell imaging, drug delivery, disease diagnosis and treatment. Fabricated strategies of AIE-active FPNs with high efficiency, simplification and tenderness are still passionately pursued to promote the development of theranostic systems. In this work, we develop a facile method for the preparation of AIE-active FPNs by adopting Ce(IV)/HNO3 redox polymerization under near room temperature. Thus-prepared FPNs (named as PEG-PLC-1) possess unique AIE feature, great water dispersity, excellent biocompatibility and biodegradability because of the conjugation of ultra-bright AIE dye (PhE-alc) and biodegradable PEG-PCL linear copolymers. The 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV–Visible and fluorescence spectrometers were used to confirm the successful fabrication of AIE-active FPNs. Cell viability and cellular uptake behavior of PEG-PLC-1 FPNs were further investigated for their potential biomedical applications. Results demonstrated that PEG-PLC-1 FPNs are high water dispersity, intensive luminescence and low cytotoxicity, making them very attractive for biomedical applications. More importantly, the method for the fabrication of AIE-active biodegradable FPNs can be occurred under rather facile conditions (e.g., low temperature, free of metal catalysts, common chain transfer agent and aqueous solution) and are specially used for fabrication of AIE-active polysaccharides with poor organic solubility.Fluorescent polymeric nanoparticles with aggregation-induced emission feature and biodegradable potential have been fabricated via the Ce(IV)/HNO3 redox polymerization in aqueous solution under rather mild conditions.Download high-res image (196KB)Download full-size image
Co-reporter:Ruming Jiang, Meiying Liu, Cong Li, Qiang Huang, Hongye Huang, Qing Wan, Yuanqing Wen, Qian-yong Cao, Xiaoyong Zhang, Yen Wei
Materials Science and Engineering: C 2017 Volume 80(Volume 80) pp:
Publication Date(Web):1 November 2017
DOI:10.1016/j.msec.2017.07.008
•Aggregation-induced emission luminescent polymeric nanoparticles•A one-pot multicomponent reaction•AIE-active LPNs containing dynamic linkages•The AIE-active LPNs are promising for biomedical applications.Luminescent polymeric nanoparticles (LPNs) with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) feature have emerged as the most promising candidates for biological imaging owing to their unique AIE feature, great water dispersity, strong fluorescence, low cytotoxicity and biocompatibility. Although numerous successful strategies for construction of AIE-active LPNs have been developed, the preparation of dynamic linkages containing AIE-active LPNs based on multicomponent reactions has been rarely reported. In this work, we report a facile method for the formation of AIE-active LPNs via a one-pot conjugation of PEG-B(OH)2, 1-thioglycerol and AIE-active dye PhE-alc in short time under rather mild reaction conditions (e.g. ambient temperature, air atmosphere, absent of metal catalysts and in the present of water). The successful formation of AIE-active mPEG-PhE LPNs was confirmed by different characterization techniques in details. The great optical and biological properties certified their applicable for biological imaging application. More importantly, the novel method for the formation of AIE-active LPNs is rather simple, high efficiency and atom economy, which greatly enriched their practical biomedical applications.A facile one-pot strategy based on the formation of dynamic bonds has been developed for the fabrication of luminescent polymeric nanoparticles with aggregation-induced emission feature.Download high-res image (166KB)Download full-size image
Co-reporter:Liucheng Mao, Meiying Liu, Ruming Jiang, Qiang Huang, Yanfeng Dai, Jianwen Tian, Yingge Shi, Yuanqing Wen, Xiaoyong Zhang, Yen Wei
Materials Science and Engineering: C 2017 Volume 80(Volume 80) pp:
Publication Date(Web):1 November 2017
DOI:10.1016/j.msec.2017.06.019
•Construction of hyperbranched and biodegradable luminescent polymeric nanoparticles•These LPNs showed aggregation-induced emission feature.•These AIE-active LPNs showed great water dispersity and biocompatibility.•These AIE-active LPNs are of great potential for biomedical applications.The development of luminescent bioprobes based on organic dyes with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) characteristic has attracted great attention in recent years. In this work, we reported for the first time that AIE-active luminescent polymeric nanoparticles (LPNs) can be facilely prepared via a one-step acetalization reaction, which can be used to conjugate the aldehyde group containing AIE dye (PTH-CHO) and methoxypolyethylene glycols (mPEG-CHO) with a commercially available dendritic polyester (H40) using p-toluenesulfonic acid (TsOH) as the catalyst. As-prepared star-shaped hyperbranched luminescent polymers (named as H40-mPEG-mPTH) were prone to self-assemble into core-shell nanoparticles in aqueous solution because of their amphiphilic structure, in which hydrophobic components (such as PTH-CHO and H40) were encapsulated in the core while the hydrophilic components (mPEG-CHO) were acted as the shell. The final AIE-active H40-mPEG-mPTH LPNs displayed uniform spherical structure, strong fluorescence, excellent photostability and high water dispersity. Furthermore, biological evaluation results demonstrated that H40-mPEG-mPTH LPNs possess low toxicity and excellent biocompatibility, indicating their great potential for biomedical applications. Taken together, we reported a novel strategy for the construction of hyperbranched and biodegradable LPNs with AIE feature through a one-step acetalization reaction, which can be also utilized for construction of many other AIE-active LPNs with a variety structure and properties.The hyperbranched AIE-active luminescent polymeric nanoparticles with high water dispersity, low cytotoxicity and biodegradable potential were fabricated through a one-step acetalization reaction for the first time.Download high-res image (87KB)Download full-size image
Co-reporter:Qiang Huang, Yuxin Chen, Meiying Liu, Jinjin Liu, Jiawei Wang, Kelun Zhou, Hongfang Li, Yanyun Deng, Xiaoyong Zhang, Yen Wei
Journal of Molecular Liquids 2017 Volume 248(Volume 248) pp:
Publication Date(Web):1 December 2017
DOI:10.1016/j.molliq.2017.10.101
•Surface modification of SiO2 microspheres through mussel-inspired chemistry and redox polymerization•The strategy developed in this work is effective and universality.•The SiO2-PDA-PIA composites showed enhanced adsorption capability toward MB.•The strategy could also be used for fabrication of many other functional materials.In this report, a novel strategy that combination of mussel-inspired chemistry and surface-initiated redox polymerization has been developed for preparation of carboxyl groups modified SiO2 (SiO2-PDA-PIA). The potential applications of these SiO2-PDA-PIA polymer composites to remove cationic organic dye methylene blue (MB) have also examined. The morphology and structures of SiO2-PDA-PIA are systematically characterized using transmission electron microscope (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements. The SiO2-PDA-PIA composites show good surface morphology and abundant functional groups, which can be used as an excellent adsorbent for the removal of cationic dye pollutants. The effects of contact time, initial MB concentration, solution pH and temperature on the MB adsorption have been investigated. The adsorption of MB onto SiO2-PDA-PIA is highly dependent on the solution pH, initial MB concentration and temperature. As compared with pure SiO2, the SiO2-PDA-PIA shows 3-fold increase in adsorption capacity toward MB. The kinetic results show that the adsorption process is well-described by the pseudo-second-order. The equilibrium data are fitted using Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models. The results show that the better agreement is Langmuir isotherm model with the correlation coefficient of 0.9954. The thermodynamic analyses show that the adsorption of MB onto SiO2-PDA-PIA is endothermic and spontaneous. Besides, the maximum adsorption capacity is calculated to be 215.97 mg/g. The high adsorption capacity of SiO2-PDA-PIA composites makes them to be promising adsorbents for the practical application in environment.A novel strategy that combination of the mussel-inspired chemistry and surface-initiated redox polymerization has been developed for fabrication of carboxyl groups modified silica nanoparticles to remove cationic organic dyes.Download high-res image (147KB)Download full-size image
Co-reporter:Lu Han, Xiao-Yong Zhang, Yu-Long Wang, Xi Li, Xiao-Hong Yang, Min Huang, Kun Hu, Lu-Hai Li, Yen Wei
Journal of Controlled Release 2017 Volume 259(Volume 259) pp:
Publication Date(Web):10 August 2017
DOI:10.1016/j.jconrel.2017.03.018
Spurred on by advances in materials chemistry and nanotechnology, scientists have developed many novel nanopreparations for cancer diagnosis and therapy. To treat complex malignant tumors effectively, multifunctional nanomedicines with targeting ability, imaging properties and controlled drug release behavior should be designed and exploited. The therapeutic efficiency of loaded drugs can be dramatically improved using redox-responsive nanoplatforms which can sense the differences in the redox status of tumor tissues and healthy ones. Redox-sensitive nanocarriers can be constructed from both organic and inorganic nanomaterials; however, at present, drug delivery nanovectors progressively lean towards inorganic nanomaterials because of their facile synthesis/modification and their unique physicochemical properties. In this review, we focus specifically on the preparation and application of redox-sensitive nanosystems based on mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs), carbon nanomaterials, magnetic nanoparticles, gold nanomaterials and other inorganic nanomaterials. We discuss relevant examples of redox-sensitive nanosystems in each category. Finally, we discuss current challenges and future strategies from the aspect of material design and practical application.Download high-res image (209KB)Download full-size image
Co-reporter:Gaoyi Xie, Chunping Ma, Xiqi Zhang, Hongliang Liu, Liutao Yang, Yang Li, Ke Wang, Yen Wei
Dyes and Pigments 2017 Volume 143(Volume 143) pp:
Publication Date(Web):1 August 2017
DOI:10.1016/j.dyepig.2017.04.055
•A chitosan-based cross-linked fluorescent polymer was prepared.•The polymer contained aggregation-induced emission fluorogen.•The polymer formed fluorescent polymeric nanoparticles (FPNs) in water.•The FPNs exhibited excellent particle stability, photostability and biocompatibility.A chitosan-based cross-linked fluorescent polymer (Ch-EP3) containing aggregation-induced emission (AIE) fluorogen was prepared through ring-opening polymerization of carboxymethyl chitosan and an AIE monomer with two ethylene oxide groups. 1H NMR, FT-IR, and X-ray photoelectron spectra were conducted to characterize and prove its successful synthesis. The introduction of chitosan component endowed Ch-EP3 with amphiphilic property, and Ch-EP3 could assemble into nanoparticles, which were facilely dispersed in water to form fluorescent polymeric nanoparticles (FPNs). The dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy results indicated the size distribution of the FPNs was 260 ± 12 nm with spherical shape. Fluorescent spectrum of the prepared FPNs demonstrated intense green fluorescence with high fluorescence quantum yield of 35%. The Ch-EP3 FPNs further showed excellent particle stability at highly dilute solution with low critical micelle concentration of 0.063 mg mL−1. The synthesized FPNs also indicated high photostability under UV light irradiation for a period of 60 min. The cytotoxicity evaluation proved high cell viability after incubation of the Ch-EP3 FPNs at different concentrations for a period of 8 h or 24 h, and demonstrated highly biocompatible for cell imaging. Taking advantage of the high-performance Ch-EP3 FPNs, such as, high water dispersibility, good particle stability, and excellent photostability, this work would inspire more approaches to prepare novel cross-linked biocompatible fluorescent polymers for biomedical application.We report on chitosan-based cross-linked fluorescent polymer containing aggregation-induced emission fluorogen for cell imaging.Download high-res image (277KB)Download full-size image
Co-reporter:Chunping Ma, Gaoyi Xie, Xiqi Zhang, Liutao Yang, Yang Li, Hongliang Liu, Ke Wang, Yen Wei
Dyes and Pigments 2017 Volume 139(Volume 139) pp:
Publication Date(Web):1 April 2017
DOI:10.1016/j.dyepig.2016.12.070
•Two novel aggregation-induced emission polymers were synthesized.•The polymers could self-assemble into fluorescent polymeric nanoparticles (FPNs) in water.•The FPNs showed excellent biocompatibility for cell imaging.•The FPNs exhibited good particle stability and high photostability.Novel aggregation-induced emission (AIE) polymers (NS1 and NS2) were prepared through reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer polymerization of poly(ethylene glycol) monomethyl ether methacylate and a new AIE monomer with a vinyl group. The NS1 and NS2 copolymers were characterized by gel permeation chromatography, 1H NMR spectroscopy, FT-IR spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, which proved their successful syntheses. Such amphiphilic copolymers could self-assemble into fluorescent polymeric nanoparticles (FPNs) in water with good dispersibility, which were spherical in shape. The prepared FPNs of NS1 had a size range of 50–150 nm, strong green fluorescence in aqueous solution with fluorescence quantum yield of 31%, and low critical micelle concentration (CMC) of 0.030 mg mL−1. The NS2 FPNs exhibited size range of 200–300 nm, intense green fluorescence with quantum yield of 38%, and CMC of 0.037 mg mL−1. These FPNs were demonstrated highly biocompatible for cell imaging. By virtue of excellent biocompatibility via PEG modification, good particle stability with low CMC, and AIE fluorescent polymers with high photostability, the FPNs constructed in this work showed obvious advantages. This strategy should inspire new approaches to prepare novel biocompatible AIE fluorescent polymers for biomedical application.
Co-reporter:Gaoyi Xie, Chunping Ma, Xiqi Zhang, Hongliang Liu, Jialiang Gong, Shuyang Zhao, Yang Li, Ke Wang, Yen Wei
Dyes and Pigments 2017 Volume 145(Volume 145) pp:
Publication Date(Web):1 October 2017
DOI:10.1016/j.dyepig.2017.06.008
•An amphiphilic fluorescent polymer was prepared.•The polymer contained aggregation-induced emission fluorogen and ε-polylysine.•The polymers formed fluorescent polymeric nanoparticles (FPNs) in water.•The FPNs showed low critical micelle concentration.•The FPNs exhibited high photostability and excellent biocompatibility.An amphiphilic fluorescent polymer (Ply-EP3) combining an aggregation-induced emission monomer and ε-polylysine was prepared through epoxy ring-opening polymerization. 1H NMR, FT-IR, and X-ray photoelectron spectra were conducted to characterize its chemical property. Such amphiphilic Ply-EP3 could assemble into nanoparticles in water and form fluorescent polymeric nanoparticles (FPNs) with high water dispersibility. Dynamic light scattering result of Ply-EP3 FPNs demonstrated the size distribution of 106 ± 8 nm with the polydispersity index of 0.268. Transmission electron microscopy image of Ply-EP3 FPNs showed spherical nanoparticle morphology with a size range of 50–100 nm. The optical property of FPNs indicated intense green fluorescence with a fluorescence quantum yield of 33%. The Ply-EP3 FPNs further proved excellent stability with low critical micelle concentration of 0.042 mg mL−1. The prepared FPNs also revealed high photostability after UV light irradiation for 120 min. Such FPNs showed excellent biocompatibility as the cells retained high viability at the concentration range of 10–120 μg mL−1 of Ply-EP3 for an incubated period of 12 h or 24 h, and exhibited excellent performance for cell imaging. Thanks to the high-performance Ply-EP3 FPNs, including bright fluorescent emission, high water dispersibility and particle stability, and excellent photostability, this work provide an approach to prepare robust cross-linked biocompatible fluorescent polymers for cell imaging.
Co-reporter:Gaoyi Xie, Chunping Ma, Xiqi Zhang, Hongliang Liu, Xingxing Guo, Liutao Yang, Yang Li, Ke Wang, Yen Wei
Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces 2017 Volume 157(Volume 157) pp:
Publication Date(Web):1 September 2017
DOI:10.1016/j.colsurfb.2017.05.070
•Two zwitterionic phosphorylcholine polymers were prepared.•The polymers had aggregation-induced emission feature.•The polymers formed fluorescent polymeric nanoparticles (FPNs) in water.•The FPNs showed ultra-low critical micelle concentration.•The FPNs exhibited excellent biocompatibility.Two novel zwitterionic phosphorylcholine polymers (MTP1 and MTP2) with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) feature were prepared through reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer polymerization between an AIE monomer with vinyl end group and a zwitterionic phosphorylcholine monomer. The synthesized copolymers were characterized and confirmed by 1H NMR, FT-IR, and X-ray photoelectron spectra. By introduction of the zwitterionic phosphorylcholine component, the synthesized copolymers showed amphiphilic properties and tended to self-assemble into fluorescent polymeric nanoparticles (FPNs) in water. The dynamic light scattering results indicated the size distribution of the MTP1 FPNs was 345 ± 22 nm, and that of the MTP2 FPNs was 147 ± 36 nm. The transmission electron microscopy results demonstrated spherical nanoparticle morphology for the FPNs. The high dispersibility of the FPNs in water was proved by the UV–vis absorption study with high transmittance of the solution. Fluorescent spectra of the prepared FPNs revealed bright green fluorescence with high fluorescence quantum yield of 45% for MTP1 and 34% for MTP2. More importantly, the FPNs showed excellent particle stability with low critical micelle concentration of 0.008 mg mL−1 for MTP1 and 0.007 mg mL−1 for MTP2. The cytotoxicity evaluation confirmed high cytocompatibility of the prepared FPNs at different concentrations, and demonstrated excellent biocompatibility for cell imaging. In virtue of the high-performance MTP1 and MTP2 FPNs, including high water dispersion, good particle stability, and excellent cytocompatibility, this work would inspire more researches about high-performance biocompatible fluorescent polymers for biomedical application.Two biocompatible zwitterionic phosphorylcholine polymers with aggregation-induced emission feature were synthesized and self-assembled into fluorescent nanoparticles for cell imaging.Download high-res image (259KB)Download full-size image
Co-reporter:Zi Long, Meiying Liu, Liucheng Mao, Guangjian Zeng, Qing Wan, Dazhuang Xu, Fengjie Deng, Hongye Huang, Xiaoyong Zhang, Yen Wei
Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces 2017 Volume 150(Volume 150) pp:
Publication Date(Web):1 February 2017
DOI:10.1016/j.colsurfb.2016.11.018
•Fabrication of AIE-active polymeric nanoprobrs via a one-pot strategy.•Biodegradable and biocompatibility branched AIE-active polymers.•AIE-active polymeric nanoprobes for biological imaging.•Formation of AIE-active polymeric nanoprobes via dynamic bonds.The fluorescent organic nanoparticles (FNPs) with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) feature have received increasing attention for their advanced optical properties. Although many efforts have been devoted to the fabrication and biomedical applications of AIE-active FNPs, the preparation of branched AIE-active FNPs with degradability through formation of dynamic bonds have rarely been reported. In this work, branched AIE-active FNPs were fabricated via dynamic linkage of hydrophobic hyperbranched and degradable Boltorn H40 (H40) with phenylboronic acid terminated AIE dye (PhB(OH)2) and mPEG (mPEG-B(OH)2), which relied on a facile one-pot strategy between phenylboronic acid and diol group of H40. The branched H40-star-mPEG-PhB(OH)2 FNPs were characterized using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and fluorescence spectroscopy. Benefiting from their highly branched structure and amphiphilic properties, H40-star-mPEG-PhB(OH)2 could self-assemble into micelles and emit strong orange-red fluorescence. More importantly, cell viability results demonstrated that H40-star-mPEG-PhB(OH)2 FNPs showed good biocompatibility and promising candidates for bio-imaging. Taken together, we developed a one-pot strategy for preparation of branched AIE-active FNPs through the formation of dynamic phenyl borate. The resultant H40-star-mPEG-PhB(OH)2 FNPs should be promising biomaterials for different applications for biodegradability of H40 and responsiveness of phenyl borate.Branched and degradable fluorescent organic nanoparticles with aggregation induced emission feature have been fabricated via the formation of dynamic phenyl borate bond and were utilized for cell imaging applications.Download high-res image (226KB)Download full-size image
Co-reporter:Qiaomei Chen, Yen Wei, Yan Ji
Chinese Chemical Letters 2017 Volume 28, Issue 11(Volume 28, Issue 11) pp:
Publication Date(Web):1 November 2017
DOI:10.1016/j.cclet.2017.09.011
Liquid crystalline vitimers (LC-vitrimers) can be easily processed into complex three-dimensional configurations. In this paper, we present a photo-responsive LC-vitrimer by simply introducing a photo-thermal agent aniline trimer into the LC-vitrimer system. As aniline trimer acts as a curing agent, it can be homogeneously dispersed in the material, avoiding aggregation which commonly happens to nano-fillers. As a result, the resultant polymer not only can perform three light-controlled functions (welding, healing and shape memory), but also can be prepared into aligned monodomain LC actuators with strains of about 40%–45%.Download high-res image (114KB)Download full-size imageThe ACAT-LC-vitrimer not only can perform three light-controlled functions (welding, healing and shape memory), but also can be prepared into aligned monodomain LC actuators with strains of about 40%–45% by simply stretching the cured material at temperature above the topology-freezing transition temperature.
Co-reporter:Guangjian Zeng, Meiying Liu, Chunning Heng, Qiang Huang, Liucheng Mao, Hongye Huang, Junfeng Hui, Fengjie Deng, Xiaoyong Zhang, Yen Wei
Applied Surface Science 2017 Volume 399(Volume 399) pp:
Publication Date(Web):31 March 2017
DOI:10.1016/j.apsusc.2016.12.107
•Surface modification of HAp nanorods through the combination of ligand exchange reaction and metal free SI-ATRP.•HAp-polyPEGMA displayed high water dispersibility, good biocompatibility and biological imaging capability.•Metal free ATRP can overcome the toxic and fluorescence quenching effects of metal catalysts of conventional ATRP.The Eu3+ doped luminescent hydroxyapatite (HAp) nanorods with uniform size and morphology can be synthesized by hydrothermal route. However, these HAp nanorods are coated by hydrophobic oleylamine, which makes them difficult to be dispersed in aqueous solution and impede their biomedical applications. In this work, Eu3+ doped luminescent polymers functionalized HAp nanorods were prepared through the combination of ligand exchange reaction and metal free surface initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) method. In this procedure, the amino group functionalized HAp nanorods were first prepared by ligand exchange reaction using adenosine monophosphate (AMP) as ligand. Then the Br-containing initiators (HAp-Br) were introduced onto the surface of HAp-AMP nanorods through the amidation reaction. Finally, polymers functionalized HAp nanorods were prepared by metal free ATRP method using poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate (PEGMA) as monomer and 10-phenylphenothiazine (PTH) as organic photocatalyst. The properties of these obtained HAp nanocomposites (HAP-polyPEGMA nanorods) were characterized by means of transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis in detail. The cell imaging of these HAP-polyPEGMA nanorods was examined using laser scanning confocal microscope to evaluate their biomedical applications. We demonstrated for the first time that hydrophobic luminescent HAp nanorods can be functionalized with polyPEGMA through the combination of ligand exchange reaction and metal free surface initiated ATRP. As compared with the traditional ATRP, the metal free ATRP can overcome the toxic and fluorescence quenching effects of metal catalysts such as copper ions. More importantly, the strategy described in this work should also be utilized for fabrications of many other luminescent polymer nanocomposites due to its good monomer adoptability.
Co-reporter:Liucheng Mao, Meiying Liu, Dazhuang Xu, Qing Wan, Qiang Huang, Ruming Jiang, Yingge Shi, Fengjie Deng, Xiaoyong Zhang, Yen Wei
Applied Surface Science 2017 Volume 423(Volume 423) pp:
Publication Date(Web):30 November 2017
DOI:10.1016/j.apsusc.2017.06.197
•Fabrication of AIE-active fluorescent polymeric nanoparticles.•Polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane cross-linked FPNs.•These AIE-active FPNs showed ultralow critical micelle concentrations.•These AIE-active FPNs are promising for biological imaging.Aggregation-induced emission (AIE) dyes based fluorescent polymeric nanoparticles (FNPs) have been intensively explored for biomedical applications. However, many of these AIE-active FNPs are relied on the self-assembly of amphiphilic copolymers, which are not stable in diluted solution. Therefore, the introduction of cross-linkages into these micelles has demonstrated to be an efficient route to overcome this stability problem and endow ultra-low critical micelle concentrations (CMC) of these AIE-active FNPs. In this work, we reported the fabrication of cross-linked AIE-active FNPs through controllable reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer polymerization by using commercially available octavinyl-T8-silsesquioxane (8-vinyl POSS) as the cross-linkage for the first time. The resultant cross-linked amphiphilic copolymers (named as PEG-POSS-PhE) are prone to self-assemble into stable core–shell nanoparticles with well water dispersity, strong red fluorescence and low CMC (0.0069 mg mL−1) in aqueous solution. More importantly, PEG-POSS-PhE FNPs possess some other properties such as high water dispersity, uniform morphology and small size, excellent biocompatibility and cellular internalization, providing great potential of PEG-POSS-PhE FNPs for biological imaging application.Download high-res image (185KB)Download full-size imageFluorescent polymeric nanoparticles with ultra-low critical micelle concentrations was fabricated via RAFT polymerization and using 8-vinyl POSS as the cross linkage.
Co-reporter:Qiang Huang, Meiying Liu, Junyu Chen, Qing Wan, Jianwen Tian, Long Huang, Ruming Jiang, Fengjie Deng, Yuanqing Wen, Xiaoyong Zhang, Yen Wei
Applied Surface Science 2017 Volume 422(Volume 422) pp:
Publication Date(Web):15 November 2017
DOI:10.1016/j.apsusc.2017.05.226
•Surface modification of SiO2 microspheres through mussel inspired chemistry.•Combination of mussel inspired chemistry and Kabachnik–Fields reaction.•The SiO2-PDA-CSH composites show high adsorption capability towards methylene blue.The removal of organic dyes using functionalization SiO2 composites (denoted as SiO2-PDA-CSH) were prepared via a facile method that combined with mussel inspired chemistry and Kabachnik–Fields (KF) reaction. The size and surface morphology, chemical structure, thermal stability, surface charging property, and elemental composition were evaluated by means of transmission electron microscope (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), zeta potential, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), respectively. The results demonstrated that the organic functional groups can be successfully introduced onto the surface of SiO2 microspheres through the combination of mussel inspired chemistry and KF reaction. The removal of cationic dye methylene blue (MB) by the raw SiO2 and SiO2-PDA-CSH composites was examined and compared using a series of batch adsorption experiments. The results suggested that SiO2-PDA-CSH composites had a 3-fold increase in the adsorption capacity towards MB than that of pure SiO2 microspheres and the adsorption process was dependent on the solution pH. According to the adsorption kinetics, the adsorption of MB onto SiO2-PDA-CSH composites was well described by pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The equilibrium data were fitted with Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models with R2 = 0.9981 and R2 = 0.9982, respectively. The maximum adsorption capacity from Langmuir isotherm was found to be 688.85 mg/g. The adsorption thermodynamics was also investigated in detailed. The parameters revealed that the adsorption process was spontaneous and endothermic in nature. The adsorption mechanism might be the synergistic action of physical adsorption of SiO2-PDA-CSH particles and electrostatic interaction between the MB and functional groups on the surface of SiO2-PDA-CSH composites, including sulfydryl, amino, aromatic moieties, and phosphate groups. Taken together, we developed a novel and facile strategy for the surface modification of SiO2 to achieve high adsorption towards MB based on the mussel inspired chemistry and multicomponent KF reaction. More importantly, this strategy could be easily extended for fabrication of many other high efficient adsorbents due to the universality of mussel inspired chemistry and various multicomponent reactions based on amino groups. Therefore, this work will open a new avenue and direction for the environmental applications of mussel inspired chemistry.A novel strategy that based on the combination of mussel inspired chemistry and Kabachnik–Fields was developed for preparation of SiO2 polymer composites with high adsorption capability towards methylene blue.Download high-res image (134KB)Download full-size image
Co-reporter:Long Huang, Meiying Liu, Liucheng Mao, Dazhuang Xu, Qing Wan, Guangjian Zeng, Yingge Shi, Yuanqing Wen, Xiaoyong Zhang, Yen Wei
Applied Surface Science 2017 Volume 412(Volume 412) pp:
Publication Date(Web):1 August 2017
DOI:10.1016/j.apsusc.2017.04.026
•Surface modification of silica nanoparticles through light induced surface-initiated ATRP.•MSNs-NH2-poly(IA-co-PEGMA) nanocomposites show high water dispersity.•MSNs-NH2-poly(IA-co-PEGMA) nanocomposites are promising for biomedical applications.•The light induced ATRP possesses many advantages as compared with traditional ATRP.The mesoporous materials with large pore size, high specific surface area and high thermal stability have been widely utilized in a variety of fields ranging from environmental remediation to separation and biomedicine. However, surface modification of these silica nanomaterials is required to endow novel properties and achieve better performance for most of these applications. In this work, a new method has been established for surface modification of mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) that relied on the visible light induced atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). In the procedure, the copolymers composited with itaconic acid (IA) and poly(ethylene glycol)methyl acrylate (PEGMA) were grafted from MSNs using IA and PEGMA as the monomers and 10-Phenylphenothiazine(PTH) as the organic catalyst. The successful preparation of final polymer nanocomposites (named as MSNs-NH2-poly(IA-co-PEGMA)) were evidenced by a series of characterization techniques. More importantly, the anticancer agent cisplatin can be effectively loaded on MSNs-NH2-poly(IA-co-PEGMA) and controlled release it from the drug-loading composites with pH responsive behavior. As compared with conventional ATRP, the light induced surface-initiated ATRP could also be utilized for preparation of various silica polymer nanocomposites under rather benign conditions (e.g. absent of transition metal ions, low polymerization temperature and short polymerization time). Taken together, we have developed a rather promising strategy method for fabrication of multifunctional MSNs-NH2-poly(IA-co-PEGMA) with great potential for biomedical applications.A novel strategy for surface PEGylation of mesoporous silica nanoparticles was developed based on the light induced surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization.Download high-res image (204KB)Download full-size image
Co-reporter:Liucheng Mao, Xinhua Liu, Meiying Liu, Long Huang, Dazhuang Xu, Ruming Jiang, Qiang Huang, Yuanqing Wen, Xiaoyong Zhang, Yen Wei
Applied Surface Science 2017 Volume 419(Volume 419) pp:
Publication Date(Web):15 October 2017
DOI:10.1016/j.apsusc.2017.05.041
•Dye doped luminescent silica nanoparticles.•Surface modification of luminescent silica nanoparticle via surface-initiated ATRP.•Aggregation-induced emission dyes based nanocomposites.•The AIE-active luminescent silica nanoparticSles for biological imaging.Aggregation-induced emission (AIE) dyes have recently been intensively explored for biological imaging applications owing to their outstanding optical feature as compared with conventional organic dyes. The AIE-active luminescent silica nanoparticles (LSNPs) are expected to combine the advantages both of silica nanoparticles and AIE-active dyes. Although the AIE-active LSNPs have been prepared previously, surface modification of these AIE-active LSNPs with functional polymers has not been reported thus far. In this work, we reported a rather facile and general strategy for preparation of polymers functionalized AIE-active LSNPs through the surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). The AIE-active LSNPs were fabricated via direct encapsulation of AIE-active dye into silica nanoparticles through a non-covalent modified Stöber method. The ATRP initiator was subsequently immobilized onto these AIE-active LSNPs through amidation reaction between 3-aminopropyl-triethoxy-silane and 2-bromoisobutyryl bromide. Finally, the zwitterionic 2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) was selected as model monomer and grafted onto MSNs through ATRP. The characterization results suggested that LSNPs can be successfully modified with poly(MPC) through surface-initiated ATRP. The biological evaluation results demonstrated that the final SNPs-AIE-pMPC composites possess low cytotoxicity, desirable optical properties and great potential for biological imaging. Taken together, we demonstrated that AIE-active LSNPs can be fabricated and surface modified with functional polymers to endow novel functions and better performance for biomedical applications. More importantly, this strategy developed in this work could also be extended for fabrication of many other LSNPs polymer composites owing to the good monomer adoptability of ATRP.The dye-doped luminescent silica nanoparticles were obtained via directly encapsulated with aggregation-induced emission dye and subsequently functionalized with zwitterionic polymers through surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization.Download high-res image (92KB)Download full-size image
Co-reporter:Xiaoyong Zhang;Lu Han;Meiying Liu;Ke Wang;Lei Tao;Qing Wan
Materials Chemistry Frontiers 2017 vol. 1(Issue 5) pp:807-822
Publication Date(Web):2017/05/04
DOI:10.1039/C6QM00135A
Stimuli-responsive polymeric nanosystems that can respond to biological stimuli such as pH, temperature, glucose, enzymes or redox conditions have been extensively explored for different biomedical applications. Among these, redox conditions should be the most useful stimulus in biological systems, which rely on the significantly different redox states in the circulation/extracellular fluids and intracellular compartments. By incorporation of redox-responsive linkages such as disulfide and diselenide into polymers, different redox-responsive polymeric nanosystems can be fabricated. In this review article, a number of redox-responsive polymeric therapeutic nanosystems and their design principles are included. Recent advances in these redox-responsive polymeric therapeutic nanosystems for controlled cytoplasmic delivery of a number of bioactive molecules (e.g. drugs, biological proteins, plasmid DNA, siRNA) are also highlighted. This review will provide useful information for the design and biomedical applications of redox-responsive polymeric therapeutic nanosystems, which will attract great research interest from scientists in chemistry, materials, biology, medicine and interdisciplinary areas.
Co-reporter:Qing Wan;Ruming Jiang;Liucheng Mao;Dazhuang Xu;Guangjian Zeng;Yingge Shi;Fengjie Deng;Meiying Liu;Xiaoyong Zhang
Materials Chemistry Frontiers 2017 vol. 1(Issue 6) pp:1051-1058
Publication Date(Web):2017/06/01
DOI:10.1039/C6QM00307A
Multicomponent reactions (MCRs) have recently received increasing attention for the synthesis of structural complexity in a single step from three or more reactants. They have also been considered as a powerful tool for the construction of sequence-controlled multifunctional polymers owing to their good substrate adaptability, simple operation and high efficiency. In this work, we reported methods that are a combination of the three-component mercaptoacetic acid locking imine (MALI) reaction and reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization in one pot to form luminescent organic nanoparticles (LONs) with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) features, high-brightness, great water dispersibility, ultra-small nanoscale size and excellent biocompatibility. In the reaction system, the MALI reaction and RAFT polymerization happened simultaneously in a “one-pot” route. On the one hand, the AIE-active organic dye with one amino group ((Z)-3-(4-aminophenyl)-2-(10-hexadecyl-10H-phenothiazin-3-yl)acrylonitrile) (named as Phe-NH2) was conjugated with an aldehyde-containing monomer (10-undecenal) by the MALI reaction, while the aldehyde-containing monomer was copolymerized with the hydrophilic monomer polyethylene glycol methyl methacrylate (PEGMA) through RAFT polymerization at the same time. Compared with other fabrication strategies, “one-pot” strategies possess some advantages such as high efficiency, simplicity, and atom economy. On the other hand, due to the good applicability of RAFT polymerization and the MALI reaction, many other multifunctional AIE-active LONs could also be fabricated via adjusting the function of the substrates. Therefore, this strategy should be a general and important route for fabrication of AIE-active materials for different applications.
Co-reporter:Yingge Shi;Meiying Liu;Fengjie Deng;Guangjian Zeng;Qing Wan;Xiaoyong Zhang
Journal of Materials Chemistry B 2017 vol. 5(Issue 2) pp:194-206
Publication Date(Web):2017/01/04
DOI:10.1039/C6TB02249A
Photothermal therapy (PTT) is a rapidly expanding area which has attracted great research attention, and has emerged as a promising method for cancer treatment recently. PTT mainly relies on the local heating effect from photothermal agents (PTAs), which can transform the energy of light into heat. Various inorganic PTAs such as gold nanorods, carbon nanomaterials, layered transition metal dichalcogenides and various polymeric nanomaterials have been developed for PTT applications. However, inorganic PTAs are normally poorly biodegradable and potentially toxic. Polymeric PTAs possess many advantages in comparison with inorganic PTAs and have become the focus for PTT applications very recently. In this article, the recent advances and progress of polymers such as conjugated polymers and melanin-like polymers for PTT applications are introduced. The future direction, challenges and potential development of polymeric PTAs for efficient PTT are also addressed. The objective of this review is to give a brief overview of this emerging field to polymer chemists and material scientists.
Co-reporter:Qiaomei Chen;Xiaowen Yu;Zhiqiang Pei;Yang Yang;Yan Ji
Chemical Science (2010-Present) 2017 vol. 8(Issue 1) pp:724-733
Publication Date(Web):2016/12/19
DOI:10.1039/C6SC02855A
Smart polymers have been playing indispensable roles in our lives. However, it is challenging to combine more than three stimuli-responses or functionalities into one polymer, not to mention integrating multi-stimuli responsivity and multi-functionality at the same time. Vitrimers, an emerging type of materials, are covalently crosslinked networks that can be reprocessed but are still infusible and insoluble. Herein, we show that simply introducing oligoaniline into a vitrimer results in a covalently crosslinked material that can respond to six different stimuli (heat, light, pH, voltage, metal ions and redox chemicals) and perform six functions (shape memory, welding, healing, recycling, electro-chromism and adsorption of metal ions). New properties, which cannot be found in either neat vitrimers or oligoanilines, are generated, including photo-heal-ability, photo-weldability, pH-induced shape memory, enhancement of the photo-thermal effect due to metal ions absorption and simultaneous multi-tasking operations. Furthermore, the material is low-cost and suitable for large-scale mass production.
Co-reporter:Meng Huo, Qiquan Ye, Hailong Che, Xiaosong Wang, Yen Wei, and Jinying Yuan
Macromolecules 2017 Volume 50(Issue 3) pp:
Publication Date(Web):January 25, 2017
DOI:10.1021/acs.macromol.6b02499
The correlation of aggregation-induced emission (AIE) to the nanostructure of polymer assemblies was investigated. A series of AIE-active PDMA-b-P(BzMA-TPE) [PDMA: poly(N,N-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate); P(BzMA-TPE): poly[benzyl methacrylate-co-1-ethenyl-4-(1,2,2-triphenylethenyl)benzene]] assemblies with controlled nanostructures were prepared via polymerization-induced self-assembly of BzMA and TPE, an AIEgen, in the presence of PDMA macro-chain-transfer agents. We found that the fluorescence intensity and fluorescent quantum yield increase in the order of vesicles > wormlike micelles > spherical micelles. For spherical micelles and vesicles, the AIE effect strengthens with increase in micellar size and wall thickness, respectively. As the AIE effect indicates the packing compactness of the AIEgens, the discovered structure-correlated emission can be attributed to the stress variation of polymer chains in the aggregates. AIE is therefore potentially useful as a probe for the investigation and understanding of nanostructure and evolution process of polymer self-assemblies.
Co-reporter:Guangjian Zeng, Meiying Liu, Ruming Jiang, Chunning Heng, Qiang Huang, Liucheng Mao, Junfeng Hui, Fengjie Deng, Xiaoyong Zhang, Yen Wei
Materials Science and Engineering: C 2017 Volume 77(Volume 77) pp:
Publication Date(Web):1 August 2017
DOI:10.1016/j.msec.2017.03.261
•Surface grafting of Eu3 + doped luminescent HAp nanomaterials through light initiated polymerization•The photo-initiated polymerization can be achieved in the absent of metal ions•Surface functionalization of HAp nanomaterials with zwitterionic phosphorylcholine and itaconic acid simultaneously•These functionalized HAp nanocomposites showed great potential for theranostic applicationsWe reported a simple and efficient method to prepare the hydrophilic luminescent HAp polymer nanocomposites through the combination of ligand exchange and metal free light initiated surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP) using 10-phenylphenothiazine (PTH) as organic catalyst and 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) and itaconic acid (IA) as monomers. The biological imaging and drug delivery performance of HAp-poly(MPC-IA) nanorods were examined to evaluate their potential for biomedical applications. Results suggested that hydrophilic HAp-poly(MPC-IA) nanorods can be successfully prepared. More importantly, the HAp-poly(MPC-IA) exhibited excellent water dispersibility, desirable biocompatibility and good performance for biological imaging and controlled drug delivery applications. As compared with other controlled living polymerization reactions, the metal free light initiated SI-ATRP displayed many advantages such as easy for handle, mild reaction conditions, toxicity and fluorescence quenching from metal catalysts. Therefore, we believe that this strategy should be a useful and effective strategy for preparation of HAp nanomaterials for biomedical applications.Zwitterionic phosphorylcholine and itaconic acid cofunctionalized luminescent hydroxyapatite nanorods were achieved through metal free light initiated atom transfer radical polymerization and utilized for biological imaging and controlled drug delivery applications.Download high-res image (252KB)Download full-size image
Co-reporter:Zhiqiang Pei;Yang Yang;Qiaomei Chen;Yan Ji
Advanced Materials 2016 Volume 28( Issue 1) pp:156-160
Publication Date(Web):
DOI:10.1002/adma.201503789
Co-reporter:Bin Yang, Xiaoyong Zhang, Xiqi Zhang, Zengfang Huang, Yen Wei, Lei Tao
Materials Today 2016 Volume 19(Issue 5) pp:284-291
Publication Date(Web):June 2016
DOI:10.1016/j.mattod.2015.11.002
Aggregation-induced emission (AIE) dyes have received wide-spread concern since their inception. Several types of AIE-based fluorescent nanoparticle (FNP) have been developed, and the potential applications of these FNPs have also been explored. Recent studies of AIE-based FNPs in biological areas have suggested that they show promise as bio-materials for cell imaging and other biomedical applications. This article reviews recent progress in the synthesis of AIE-based FNPs via non-covalent, covalent and novel one-pot strategies, and the subsequent cell-imaging of those AIE-based FNPs. Many successes have been achieved, and there is still plenty of space for the development of AIE-based FNPs as new bio-materials.
Co-reporter:Qing Wan, Meiying Liu, Dazhuang Xu, Hongye Huang, Liucheng Mao, Guangjian Zeng, Fengjie Deng, Xiaoyong Zhang and Yen Wei
Journal of Materials Chemistry A 2016 vol. 4(Issue 22) pp:4033-4039
Publication Date(Web):03 May 2016
DOI:10.1039/C6TB00776G
Fluorescent organic nanoparticles (FONs) with aggregation induced emission (AIE) properties have recently emerged as one of the most promising luminescent nanomaterials for biomedical applications due to their unique AIE feature. In this study, we reported the preparation of AIE active FONs through mixing AIE dye (TPE-CHO), 3-aminobenzeneboronic acids (ABBA) and glucan in one-pot. ABBA acted as a molecular “bridge” to conjugate TPE-CHO with glucan via formation of a Schiff base and phenyl borate. The resultant products (Glu–TPE FONs) showed amphiphilic properties and could self-assemble into nanoparticles in an aqueous solution. Glu–TPE FONs showed strong luminescence intensity and high water dispersibility because of the AIE properties of TPE-CHO and hydrophilic nature of glucan. To examine the biomedical application potential of glucan–AIE FONs, the responsiveness, biocompatibility and cell uptake behavior of Glu–TPE FONs were subsequently examined. We demonstrated that Glu–TPE FONs possess good biocompatibility and can be potentially used for biological imaging applications. More importantly, it is well known that the Schiff base and phenyl borate can respond to pH and glucose. Therefore, Glu–TPE FONs can be used for the fabrication of multifunctional biomaterials with stimuli responsiveness.
Co-reporter:Chunping Ma, Xiqi Zhang, Yang Yang, Zhiyong Ma, Liutao Yang, Yujiao Wu, Hongliang Liu, Xinru Jia and Yen Wei
Journal of Materials Chemistry A 2016 vol. 4(Issue 21) pp:4786-4791
Publication Date(Web):14 Apr 2016
DOI:10.1039/C6TC00939E
Three novel alkyl phenothiazinyl tetraphenylethenyl acrylonitrile derivatives (PhC3P4, PhC6P4, and PhC12P4) with alkyl groups of different lengths (–C3H7, –C6H13, –C12H25) were prepared in high yield (>90%) and successfully confirmed using 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and mass spectrometry. Quantum mechanical computation demonstrated significant difference in the conformation of alkyl chains among the compounds, but showed no obvious difference in the migration of electron clouds. Apparent twisted intramolecular charge transfer (TICT) and an aggregation-induced emission (AIE) nature were evidenced in these derivatives. However, totally different mechanofluorochromic properties were found in three compounds, as PhC3P4 showed an obvious red-shifted mechanofluorochromic feature, while PhC6P4 and PhC12P4 exhibited almost no mechanofluorochromic phenomenon. Therefore, X-ray scattering, time-resolved emission-decay behaviour, and differential scanning calorimetry were performed, indicating that the mechanofluorochromic mechanism of PhC3P4 was attributed to the obvious phase transformation from the crystalline to the amorphous state, and a significant increase of the weighted mean lifetime. In comparison, PhC6P4 and PhC12P4 showed an amorphous state in the original sample, and had no apparent change of the aggregated state and weighted mean lifetime after grinding, which might be due to the steric effect of the long alkyl group in the compounds. Reversible mechanofluorochromic behaviour by fuming the ground sample was observed in PhC3P4, making it a promising smart fluorescent material for fluorescence switches and mechanosensors. The discussion on the effect of alkyl length dependent crystallinity for mechanofluorochromic compounds in this work would provide a new path to modify the performance of mechanofluorochromic materials.
Co-reporter:Qing Wan, Meiying Liu, Dazhuang Xu, Liucheng Mao, Hongye Huang, Peng Gao, Fengjie Deng, Xiaoyong Zhang and Yen Wei
Polymer Chemistry 2016 vol. 7(Issue 27) pp:4559-4566
Publication Date(Web):10 Jun 2016
DOI:10.1039/C6PY00851H
Fluorescent organic nanoparticles (FNPs) with intensive luminescence are widely applied in various biomedical fields, but the malicious aggregation caused quenching effect of conventional organic dyes hampers their biomedical application. In this work, we report a facile and highly efficient method for fabrication of FNPs with a stable cross-linked structure and enhanced luminescence via a one-pot mercaptoacetic acid locking imine reaction, in which a hydrophobic aggregation induced emission (AIE) dye (AHAn) and hydrophilic polylysine (Plys) were used as two reaction components, while mercaptoacetic acid acted as the lock to conjugate AHAn and Plys. The final amphiphilic fluorescent materials (Plys&AHAn&Plys) are readily formed FNPs in aqueous solution and exhibit high water dispersibility and strong luminescence. Furthermore, Plys&AHAn&Plys FNPs display low toxicity and good biological imaging performance. Altogether, we have developed a rather facile one-pot multicomponent reaction (MCR) to fabricate AIE active FNPs, which shows many promising properties for biomedical applications. More importantly, the MCR strategy could also be used for fabrication of many other multifunctional AIE active polymeric nanoprobes due to its good substrate adaptability and high efficiency.
Co-reporter:Chunping Ma, Xiqi Zhang, Yang Yang, Zhiyong Ma, Liutao Yang, Yujiao Wu, Hongliang Liu, Xinru Jia, Yen Wei
Dyes and Pigments 2016 Volume 129() pp:141-148
Publication Date(Web):June 2016
DOI:10.1016/j.dyepig.2016.02.028
•Three new compounds with different halogen end groups were synthesized.•The mechanofluorochromism was significantly affected by halogen group.•The mechanofluorochromism was ascribed to crystalline-amorphous transformation.Three novel alkyl phenothiazinyl phenylacrylonitrile derivatives (C12F, C12Cl, and C12Br) with different halogen end groups (fluorine, chlorine, and bromine) were synthesized with ultra-high yield (>90%) and successfully confirmed according to standard spectroscopic methods. All these compounds were demonstrated with apparent twisted intramolecular charge transfer (TICT) and aggregation-induced emission (AIE) features. The halogen effect rendered them different electronic donor-acceptor behaviours, and gave birth to peculiar different mechanofluorochromic properties. The fluorine-substituted compound (C12F) showed obvious red-shifted mechanofluorochromic feature, while almost no mechanofluorochromic characteristic existed in the chlorine- (C12Cl) and bromine-substituted (C12Br) compounds. The mechanofluorochromic mechanism of C12F was investigated and attributed to the phase transformation from crystalline to amorphous state between the original and ground samples, easy crystallinity of the compound, straight conformation of alkyl chain, higher energy gap, and significant decrease of weighted mean lifetime. Moreover, C12F showed reversible mechanofluorochromic behaviour and reproducibility by annealing the ground sample, making it promising dual responsive and smart fluorescent materials for fluorescence switches and mechanosensors. The discussion of halogen effect on mechanofluorochromic properties in this work would provide a new way to adjust the fluorescent feature of mechanofluorochromic materials.
Co-reporter:Qing Wan, Meiying Liu, Dazhuang Xu, Liucheng Mao, Jianwen Tian, Hongye Huang, Peng Gao, Fengjie Deng, Xiaoyong Zhang, Yen Wei
Carbohydrate Polymers 2016 Volume 152() pp:189-195
Publication Date(Web):5 November 2016
DOI:10.1016/j.carbpol.2016.07.026
•Fabrication of aggregation induced emission active chitosan through a multicomponent reaction.•The multicomponent reaction can occur under rather mild experimental conditions..•The WS-Chitosan@An-CHO LPNs are promising for biological imaging applications.•The multicomponent reaction can also be utilized for fabrication of many other LPNs.Chitosan based nanomaterials have been extensively examined for biomedical applications for their biodegradability, low toxicity, biological activity and low cost. In this work, a novel strategy for fabrication of luminescent polymeric nanoparticles (LPNs) based on aggregation induced emission (AIE) dye and water soluble chitosan (WS-Chitosan) were firstly developed via a highly efficient mercaptoacetic acid (MA) locking imine reaction. In this multicomponent reaction (MCR), MA serves as “lock” to connect 9,10-Bis(aldehydephenl)anthracene dye (An-CHO) and amino-containing WS-Chitosan under mild reaction conditions. The obtained WS-Chitosan@An-CHO LPNs show strong yellow emission and great water dispersibility. Biological evaluation results demonstrated that synthetic luminescent polymeric nanoparticles possess desirable cytocompatibility and distinct imaging properties. Therefore, we have developed a facile and useful method to fabricate AIE active nanoprobes with desirable properties for various biomedical applications. This strategy should be a general and easy handling tool to fabricate many other AIE dye based materials.
Co-reporter:Meiying Liu, Hongye Huang, Ke Wang, Dazhuang Xu, Qing Wan, Jianwen Tian, Qiang Huang, Fengjie Deng, Xiaoyong Zhang, Yen Wei
Carbohydrate Polymers 2016 Volume 142() pp:38-44
Publication Date(Web):20 May 2016
DOI:10.1016/j.carbpol.2016.01.030
•Fabrication of AIE-active polymeric nanoprobes through a “one pot” strategy.•These AIE-active carbohydrate polymers are pH and glucose responsiveness.•High water dispersible, ultrabright and biocompatible luminescent nanoprobes.•TPE-CMS LPNs are promising for biomedical applications.Fabrication of water dispersible, biocompatible and ultrabright luminescent polymeric nanoprobes (LPNs) has been the subject of great research interest. Although a number of LPNs have been fabricated previously through different strategies, the preparation of luminescent carbohydrate polymers with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) characterstic has received only limited attention. In this work, we reported for the first time that AIE-active luminescent starch can be facilely fabricated via mixing the aldehyde-contained AIE dye 4-(1,2,2-triphenylvinyl) benzaldehyde (TPE-CHO) with carboxyl methyl starch sodium (CMS) and amino phenylboronic acid in a one-pot procedure, in which aminophenylboronic acid can serve as the linkage for conjugation of TPE-CHO and CMS. The final products (TPE-CMS LPNs) were characterized by a number of characterization techniques such as 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and fluorescence Spectroscopy in detail. To examine their biomedical application potential, the biocompatibility as well as cell uptake behavior of TPE-CMS LPNs were further determined. We demonstrated that TPE-CMS LPNs showed high water dispersibility and strong fluorescence, well biocompatibility and efficient cell internalization behavior, making them promising candidates for various biomedical applications.A “one-pot” strategy has been developed for prepration of AIE active carbohydrate polymers through formation of pH and glucose responsive Schiff base and phenyl borate.
Co-reporter:Chunning Heng, Xiaoyan Zheng, Meiying Liu, Dazhuang Xu, Hongye Huang, Fengjie Deng, Junfeng Hui, Xiaoyong Zhang, Yen Wei
Applied Surface Science 2016 Volume 386() pp:269-275
Publication Date(Web):15 November 2016
DOI:10.1016/j.apsusc.2016.05.157
Highlights
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Hydrophobic hydroxyapatite nanorods were obtained from hydrothermal synthesis.
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Surface initiated RAFT polymerization was adopted to surface modification of hydroxyapatite nanorods.
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These modified hydroxyapatite nanorods showed high water dispersibility and biocompatibility.
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These modified hydroxyapatite nanorods can be used for controlled drug delivery.
Co-reporter:Peng Gao, Meiying Liu, Jianwen Tian, Fengjie Deng, Ke Wang, Dazhuang Xu, Liangji Liu, Xiaoyong Zhang, Yen Wei
Applied Surface Science 2016 Volume 378() pp:22-29
Publication Date(Web):15 August 2016
DOI:10.1016/j.apsusc.2016.03.207
Highlights
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Surface modification of graphene oxide with polymers.
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One-pot single-electron-transfer living radical polymerization.
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Improving drug delivery characteristics.
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The synthetic approach is rather simple, universal and effective.
Co-reporter:Junyu Chen, Songsong Luo, Dazhuang Xu, Yun Xue, Hongye Huang, Qing Wan, Meiying Liu, Xiaoyong Zhang and Yen Wei
RSC Advances 2016 vol. 6(Issue 60) pp:54812-54819
Publication Date(Web):27 May 2016
DOI:10.1039/C6RA08677B
Fluorescent polymeric nanoparticles (FPNs) have obtained more and more attention in recent years due to their excellent performance in the fields of bioimaging, biosensing, theranostics and many other biomedical applications. In this work, we reported a novel method to fabricate amphiphilic fluorescent copolymers through host–guest interactions based on an aggregation-induced emission (AIE) active dye (named as Ad-PhNH2) and β cyclodextrin (β-CD) contained polymers, which were synthesized by free radical polymerization and subsequent ring-opening reaction. These AIE active copolymers can self assemble into FPNs (named as PEGMA–IA–β-CD/Ad-PhNH2) due to their amphiphilic properties. The hydrophobic dye was aggregated in the core and therefore can emit strong fluorescent intensity due to its AIE feature. However, the hydrophilic polymers that covered the hydrophobic core can endow good dispersibility in pure aqueous solution. Biological evaluation results demonstrated that PEGMA–IA–β-CD/Ad-PhNH2 FPNs can be effectively internalized into cells and they have shown low cytotoxicity. More importantly, the molar ratio of β-CD to Ad-PhNH2 can be facilely adjusted and the surplus β-CD can be used for carrying chemical anticancer agents. Furthermore, a large number of carboxyl groups were generated during the ring opening reaction. These negative carboxyl groups can be potentially used for further conjugation reactions and for biological delivery. The above described features of PEGMA–IA–β-CD/Ad-PhNH2 FPNs make them a prospect in biological imaging and delivery applications.
Co-reporter:Hui Xu, Meiying Liu, Ming Lan, Huaying Yuan, Weijen Yu, Jianwen Tian, Qing Wan, Xiaoyong Zhang and Yen Wei
Toxicology Research 2016 vol. 5(Issue 5) pp:1371-1379
Publication Date(Web):20 Jun 2016
DOI:10.1039/C6TX00094K
Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been widely examined for biomedical applications. However, surface functionalization of CNTs with polymers is often required to improve their application performance. To obtain these CNT-based polymer nanocomposites, surface-initiated polymerization strategies are generally adopted. However, all of these methods rely on the surface oxidation of CNTs, which is a rather complex and time-consuming procedure, and involves hazardous reagents. In this work, a facile and efficient bio-inspired strategy was developed for surface PEGylation of CNTs via a combination of mussel-inspired chemistry and the Michael addition reaction. The potential biomedical applications of these PEGylated CNTs were evaluated for intracellular delivery of a normally used anticancer drug (Doxorubicin hydrochloride). Two steps were involved in this strategy, which included the surface coating of CNTs with polydopamine (PDA) through self-polymerization of dopamine, and a Michael addition reaction between the PDA-coated CNTs (CNT-PDA) and amino-functionalized polymers, which were obtained by free radical polymerization using poly(ethylene glycol) methyl methacrylate and N-(3-aminopropyl) methacrylamide as monomers. Results suggested that these PEGylated CNTs are well dispersed in aqueous solution and showed improved biocompatibility toward cancer cells. On the other hand, we also demonstrated that DOX can be effectively loaded on these PEGylated CNTs and delivered into cells for cancer treatment. More importantly, this strategy can also be utilized for surface modification of many other materials with different polymers due to the strong and universal adhesion of PDA and designability of polymerization. Therefore, this method should be of great interest for the fabrication of multifunctional nanocomposites for biomedical applications.
Co-reporter:Ke Wang, Xingliang Fan, Xiaoyong Zhang, Xiqi Zhang, Yi Chen, Yen Wei
Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces 2016 Volume 144() pp:188-195
Publication Date(Web):1 August 2016
DOI:10.1016/j.colsurfb.2016.04.009
•Poly(MPC) grafted red fluorescent NPs were facilely fabricated.•The zwitterionic polymers on NPs would facilitate their cellular uptake.•The NPs demonstrated excellent photostability and live cell imaging performance.Poly(2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine) conjugated red fluorescent chitosan nanoparticles (GCC-pMPC) were facilely fabricated by “grafting from” method via surface initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). Firstly, glutaraldehyde crosslinked red fluorescent chitosan nanoparticles (GCC NPs) with many amino groups and hydroxyl groups on their surface were prepared, which were then reacted with 2-bromoisobutyryl bromide to form GCC-Br; subsequently, poly(MPC) (pMPC) brushes were grafted onto GCC NPs surface using GCC-Br as initiator via ATRP. Compared with PEGylated nanoparticles, zwitterionic polymers modified nanoparticles demonstrated better performance in their cellular uptake. Moreover, the obtained GCC-pMPC demonstrated excellent water-dispersibility, biocompatibility, and photostability, which made them highly potential for long-term tracing applications. Importantly, the successful live cell imaging of GCC-pMPC would remarkably advance the research of their further bioapplications.
Co-reporter:Wenjun Gao, Lijuan Xing, Qingsong Zhang, Kun Chen, Pengfei Liu, Li Chen, Ning Yang, Xiaoyong Zhang, Ke Wang, Yen Wei
Reactive and Functional Polymers 2016 Volume 102() pp:53-61
Publication Date(Web):May 2016
DOI:10.1016/j.reactfunctpolym.2016.03.011
In order to investigate the relationship between nanocomposite hydrogels and polymerizable liquid crystal surfactant, under the physical cross-linking of nanoclay lithium magnesium silicate hydrate (LMSH), a series of poly(NIPAm-LMSH-AAc-Brij-58) nanocomposite hydrogels, based on the copolymerization of polymerizable liquid crystal AAc-Brij-58 synthesized by esterification reaction and N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAm), were synthesized by in situ free-radical polymerization. The results show that with increasing AAc-Brij-58 concentration from 0 to 1 wt%, the particle sizes decrease from approximately 143 to 60 nm, and the appearance becomes cruciform or flower type and rod shape, respectively. The obtained nanocomposite hydrogels present thin pore walls and larger pore diameters. With increasing mass ratios of AAc-Brij-58/NIPAm from 0 to 1/15, the maximum swelling ratios exhibit an increasing tendency, the volume phase transition temperatures increase from 32.10 to 33.56 °C, and thermal degradation temperature increase from 305 to 340 °C.
Co-reporter:Jun Chu;Qiulan Lv;Chunliang Guo;Dazhuang Xu;Ke Wang
Science China Chemistry 2016 Volume 59( Issue 8) pp:1003-1009
Publication Date(Web):2016 August
DOI:10.1007/s11426-016-5578-z
The synthesis of amphiphilic aggregation-induced emission (AIE) dyes based organic nanoparticles has recently attracted increasing attention in the biomedical fields. These AIE dyes based nanoparticles could effectively overcome the aggregation caused quenching effect of conventional organic dyes, making them promising candidates for fabrication of ultrabright organic luminescent nanomaterials. In this work, AIE-active luminescent polymeric nanoparticles (4-NH2-PEG-TPE-E LPNs) were facilely fabricated through Michael addition reaction between tetraphenylethene acrylate (TPE-E) and 4-arm-poly(ethylene glycol)-amine (4-NH2-PEG) in rather mild ambient. The 4-NH2-PEG can not only endow these AIE-active LPNs good water dispersibility, but also provide functional groups for further conjugation reaction. The size, morphology and luminescent properties of 4-NH2-PEG-TPE-E LPNs were characterized by a series of techniques in detail. Results suggested that these AIE-active LPNs showed spherical morphology with diameter about 100–200 nm. The obtained 4-NH2-PEG-TPE-E LPNs display high water dispersibility and strong fluorescence intensity because of their self assembly and AIE properties of TPE-E. Biological evaluation results demonstrated that 4-NH2-PEG-TPE-E LPNs showed negative toxicity toward cancer cells and good fluorescent imaging performance. All of these features make 4-NH2-PEG-TPE-E LPNs promising candidates for biological imaging and therapeutic applications.
Co-reporter:Yalong Liu;Lijuan Xing;Qingsong Zhang;Qifeng Mu
Colloid and Polymer Science 2016 Volume 294( Issue 3) pp:617-628
Publication Date(Web):2016 March
DOI:10.1007/s00396-015-3819-x
Based on N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAm) and modified copolymer of liquid crystal surfactant polyoxyethylene 20 cetyl ether (AAc-Brij-58), a series of “smart” poly(NIPAm-co-AAc-Brij-58) (ACM) microgels with controllable particle size and adjustable salt stability have been successfully fabricated by aqueous precipitation polymerization. The stability under the stimulus of salt and protein adsorption/desorption behavior of ACM microgels were explored. It can be found that when the mass percentage of AAc-Brij-58/NIPAm is 1 wt.%, the ACM01 microgel film presents the lowest contact angel (ca. 35.9°) and the highest hydrodynamic diameters (DH) value (ca. 1100 nm) with the increase of volume phase transition temperature (VPTT). In terms of transmittance change versus different concentrations of NaCl solution and transmittance versus temperature under certain salt concentrations, the responsibility of ACM microgel under ionic strength is investigated sufficiently. The adsorption/desorption behavior of ACM microgels to Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) is also revealed. The results show that the maximum adsorption amount of AMC01 to BSA reaches 982.7 ± 26 mg/g at 25 °C, much higher than that of ACM0 (714.7 ± 36 mg/g) and ACM02 microgels (402 ± 20 mg/g).
Co-reporter:Chunping Ma, Xiqi Zhang, Liutao Yang, Yujiao Wu, Hongliang Liu, Xiaoyong Zhang, Yen Wei
Materials Science and Engineering: C 2016 Volume 68() pp:37-42
Publication Date(Web):1 November 2016
DOI:10.1016/j.msec.2016.05.100
•Fluorescent organic nanoparticles (FONs) were derived from polyethylenimine and sucrose.•The preparation condition was mild.•The FONs showed excitation wavelength dependent fluorescent emission.•The FONs showed intense fluorescence and high water dispersibility.•The FONs were promising for cell imaging with excellent biocompatibility.An approach for the synthesis of fluorescent organic nanoparticles (FONs) with a quantum yield of about 14% has been developed using polyethylenimine and sucrose. The FONs were prepared under mild reaction condition. The obtained FONs showed high water dispersibility, intense fluorescence, excitation-dependent emission feature, excellent nanoparticle stability, and high photostability. The cytotoxicity of the FONs was also evaluated using A549 cells, and the cell viability value was demonstrated greater than 90% even when the concentration was up to 120 μg mL− 1, which proved excellent biocompatibility and made them promising for cell imaging.Polyethylenimine (PEI) and sucrose were incorporated to construct fluorescent organic nanoparticles (FONs) at mild condition, and further utilized for cell imaging.
Co-reporter:Ting-Chen Tseng;Lei Tao;Fu-Yu Hsieh;Ing-Ming Chiu;Shan-hui Hsu
Advanced Materials 2015 Volume 27( Issue 23) pp:3518-3524
Publication Date(Web):
DOI:10.1002/adma.201500762
Co-reporter:Meiying Liu, Jinzhao Ji, Xiaoyong Zhang, Xiqi Zhang, Bin Yang, Fengjie Deng, Zhen Li, Ke Wang, Yang Yang and Yen Wei
Journal of Materials Chemistry A 2015 vol. 3(Issue 17) pp:3476-3482
Publication Date(Web):06 Mar 2015
DOI:10.1039/C4TB02067G
The development of novel fluorescent nanoprobes has attracted great current research interest over the past few decades due to their superior optical properties and multifunctional capability as compared with small organic dyes. Although great advance has been made in the utilization of fluorescent nanoprobes for biomedical applications, development of novel fluorescent nanoprobes that possess good fluorescent properties, biocompatibility, biodegradability and water dispersibility through a convenient and effective route is still highly desirable. In this work, we reported for the first time that novel fluorescent organic nanoparticles (FONs) can be conveniently fabricated via self-polymerization of dopamine and polyethyleneimine at room temperature and in an air atmosphere within 2 h. These FONs exhibited strong green fluorescence, high water stability and excellent biocompatibility, making them highly potential for biological imaging applications. More importantly, due to the high reactivity of polydopamine, these FONs might also be further functionalized with other functional components through Michael addition or Schiff base reaction. Therefore the method described in this work would open new avenues for the fabrication of fluorescent nanoprobes for various biomedical applications.
Co-reporter:Haiyin Li, Xiqi Zhang, Xiaoyong Zhang, Ke Wang, Qingdong Zhang and Yen Wei
Journal of Materials Chemistry A 2015 vol. 3(Issue 7) pp:1193-1197
Publication Date(Web):19 Jan 2015
DOI:10.1039/C4TB02098G
A novel amphiphilic copolymer is facilely prepared through radical polymerization and subsequent ring-opening crosslinking based on poly(ethylene glycol) monomethyl ether methacrylate, glycidyl methacrylate, and amino-terminated aggregation-induced emission dye. Such a cross-linked polymer can self-assemble into nanoparticles with ultra-low critical micelle concentration (CMC), intense red fluorescence, and excellent biocompatibility for cell imaging.
Co-reporter:Ke Wang, Xiaoyong Zhang, Xiqi Zhang, Bin Yang, Zhen Li, Qingsong Zhang, Zengfang Huang and Yen Wei
Journal of Materials Chemistry A 2015 vol. 3(Issue 8) pp:1854-1860
Publication Date(Web):31 Dec 2014
DOI:10.1039/C4TC02672A
Novel aggregation induced emission (AIE) dye based cross-linked amphiphilic fluorescent polymers have been prepared facilely by a one pot method. This was carried out first by free radical polymerization between the AIE monomer (PhE) and glycidyl methacrylate (GM), then by the ring-opening reaction between GM and polyethyleneimine (PEI) to obtain the cross-linked polymer. The resultant cross-linked amphiphilic polymer was prone to self-assemble into stable nanoparticles with high water dispersibility due to the surplus amino groups and hydroxyl groups covered on the surface, which can also be further functionalized. The thus obtained nanoparticles demonstrated strong orange fluorescent emission with a quantum yield of about 41% owing to the AIE dyes in the cores of the nanoparticles. Biocompatibility evaluation and cell uptake behaviour of the nanoparticles were further investigated to explore their potential biomedical applications and the demonstrated excellent biocompatibility made them promising for cell imaging.
Co-reporter:Xiqi Zhang, Xiaoyong Zhang, Ke Wang, Hongliang Liu, Zhen Gu, Yang Yang and Yen Wei
Journal of Materials Chemistry A 2015 vol. 3(Issue 8) pp:1738-1744
Publication Date(Web):19 Dec 2014
DOI:10.1039/C4TC02556C
A novel fluorescent amphiphilic glycopolymer (PhE-IM-Glu) was prepared through radical polymerization between an aggregation-induced emission (AIE) monomer (PhE) and 2-isocyanatoethyl methacrylate (IM), and subsequent glycosylation with glucosamine (Glu). The resulting PhE-IM-Glu could self-assemble to form polymeric nanoparticles with high dispersibility in aqueous solution due to the amphiphilic features, with hydrophilic glucose groups covered at the surfaces while the hydrophobic AIE components aggregated into the cores. This obtained PhE-IM-Glu copolymer was fully characterized by a series of techniques including gel permeation chromatography, 1H NMR spectroscopy, FT-IR spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, which firmly proved their successful syntheses. The morphology and distribution of these polymeric nanoparticles were confirmed by transmission electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering, showing spherical nanoparticles with diameters ranging from 100 to 150 nm and 184 ± 41 nm, respectively. UV-Visible absorption spectra and fluorescence spectra were also investigated to determine their optical performances, which demonstrated both good water dispersibility and high yellow fluorescence quantum yield (up to 41%) of PhE-IM-Glu. Finally, biocompatibility evaluation and cell uptake behaviour of the PhE-IM-Glu nanoparticles were further investigated to explore their potential biomedical applications. The demonstrated excellent biocompatibility and intense fluorescence efficiency made them promising for cell imaging. More importantly, the strategy of a facile combination of isocyanate and glucosamine in this work will provide a new way to prepare more and more novel biocompatible AIE-based fluorescent amphiphilic glycopolymers and may expand the scope of their real biomedical applications.
Co-reporter:Xiaoyong Zhang, Ke Wang, Meiying Liu, Xiqi Zhang, Lei Tao, Yiwang Chen and Yen Wei
Nanoscale 2015 vol. 7(Issue 27) pp:11486-11508
Publication Date(Web):30 Apr 2015
DOI:10.1039/C5NR01444A
The development of polymeric luminescent nanomaterials for biomedical applications has recently attracted a large amount of attention due to the remarkable advantages of these materials compared with small organic dyes and fluorescent inorganic nanomaterials. Among these polymeric luminescent nanomaterials, polymeric luminescent nanomaterials based on dyes with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) properties should be of great research interest due to their unique AIE properties, the designability of polymers and their multifunctional potential. In this review, the recent advances in the design and biomedical applications of polymeric luminescent nanomaterials based on AIE dyes is summarized. Various design strategies for incorporation of these AIE dyes into polymeric systems are included. The potential biomedical applications such as biological imaging, and use in biological sensors and theranostic systems of these polymeric AIE-based nanomaterials have also been highlighted. We trust this review will attract significant interest from scientists from different research fields in chemistry, materials, biology and interdisciplinary areas.
Co-reporter:Haiyin Li, Xiqi Zhang, Xiaoyong Zhang, Ke Wang, Hongliang Liu, and Yen Wei
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 2015 Volume 7(Issue 7) pp:4241
Publication Date(Web):February 6, 2015
DOI:10.1021/am5085308
Novel cross-linked copolymers of PEG-IM-PhNH2 are successfully synthesized through PEGylation via radical polymerization of 2-isocyanatoethyl methacrylate and poly(ethylene glycol) monomethyl ether methacylate and subsequent cross-linking with an amino-terminated aggregation-induced emission fluorogen. Such obtained amphiphilic copolymers can self-assemble to form uniform fluorescent polymeric nanoparticles (FPNs) and be utilized for cell imaging. These cross-linked FPNs are demonstrated good water dispersibility with ultralow critical micelle concentration (∼0.002 mg mL–1), uniform morphology (98 ± 2 nm), high red fluorescence quantum yield, and excellent biocompatibility. More importantly, this novel strategy of fabricating cross-linked FPNs paves the way to the future development of more robust and biocompatible fluorescent bioprobes.Keywords: aggregation-induced emission; cell imaging; critical micelle concentration; cross-linking; fluorescent polymeric nanoparticles; PEGylation
Co-reporter:Haitao Cui, Xiuli Zhuang, Chaoliang He, Yen Wei, Xuesi Chen
Acta Biomaterialia 2015 Volume 11() pp:183-190
Publication Date(Web):1 January 2015
DOI:10.1016/j.actbio.2014.09.017
Abstract
In the pursuit of new strategies for the design and synthesis of high performance, physically associated hydrogels, dynamic materials formed through electrostatic interactions can serve as a powerful model. Here, we introduce a convenient strategy to obtain biodegradable hydrogels from ABA triblock ionic polypeptides formed by mixing poly(l-glutamic acid)–block-poly(ethylene glycol)–block-poly(l-glutamic acid) (PGA–PEG–PGA) with poly(l-lysine)–block-poly(ethylene glycol)–block-poly(l-lysine) (PLL–PEG–PLL). The hydrogels showed tunable physical properties, high strength and reversible response. The reactive function groups in the ionic blocks can conjugate with oppositely charged drugs or proteins and allow for further modification. These ionic ABA triblock polyelectrolytes can also encapsulate intact cells without significantly compromising cell viability, suggesting that the hydrogels have excellent cytocompatibility. In vivo evaluation performed in rats with subcutaneous injection indicated that the gels were formed and degraded, and hematoxylin and eosin staining suggested good biocompatibility in vivo. In addition, these advantages, combined with the synthetic accessibility of the copolymer, make this cross-linking system a flexible and powerful new tool for the development of injectable hydrogels for biomedical applications.
Co-reporter:Chunping Ma, Xiqi Zhang, Ke Wang, Xiaoyong Zhang, Yahong Zhou, Hongliang Liu and Yen Wei
Polymer Chemistry 2015 vol. 6(Issue 19) pp:3634-3640
Publication Date(Web):30 Mar 2015
DOI:10.1039/C5PY00111K
A novel cross-linked fluorescent polymer (PhE-ITA-PEG) was prepared through radical polymerization between an aggregation-induced emission (AIE) monomer and itaconic anhydride, and subsequent ring-opening PEGylation with 4-arm PEG-amine. The resulting fluorescent polymer could self-assemble to form polymeric nanoparticles in aqueous solution with hydrophilic PEG groups covered at the surfaces and the hydrophobic AIE components aggregated into the cores. The successful synthesis of the obtained PhE-ITA-PEG copolymer was fully characterized and confirmed by a series of techniques including gel permeation chromatography, 1H NMR spectroscopy, FT-IR spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Meanwhile, transmission electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering have been carried out to determine the morphology and distribution of these polymeric nanoparticles. UV-visible absorption spectra and fluorescence spectra have also been investigated to study their optical performances. Finally, biocompatibility and cell uptake behaviour of the PhE-ITA-PEG nanoparticles were further evaluated to explore their potential biomedical applications. The results demonstrated that PhE-ITA-PEG could self-assemble to form uniform spherical nanoparticles with diameters ranging from 50 to 80 nm and showed high water dispersibility, intense yellow fluorescence quantum yield (38%) and excellent biocompatibility, which made them promising candidates for cell imaging. More importantly, the strategy of facile ring-opening PEGylation of 4-arm PEG-amine, itaconic anhydride, and an AIE monomer in this work will provide a new path to prepare more novel biocompatible AIE-based cross-linked fluorescent polymers, and would expand the range of their bio-applications.
Co-reporter:Qing Wan, Ke Wang, Chengbin He, Meiying Liu, Guangjian Zeng, Hongye Huang, Fengjie Deng, Xiaoyong Zhang and Yen Wei
Polymer Chemistry 2015 vol. 6(Issue 47) pp:8214-8221
Publication Date(Web):05 Oct 2015
DOI:10.1039/C5PY01513H
The combination of functional polymers and hydrophobic AIE dyes to prepare luminescent organic nanoparticles (LONs) with strong fluorescence, great water dispersibility and desirable biocompatibility has received a lot of attention for potential applications in cell imaging and theranostics. Although great effort has been devoted to preparing AIE dye based LONs through both covalent and noncovalent strategies, the fabrication of cross-linked AIE dye based LONs with stimulus responsive behavior has not been reported previously. In this work, the AIE dye based LONs were constructed via cross-linking aldehyde-containing polymers and AIE dye (2,2′-diaminotetraphenyl ethylene) with two amino groups through formation of a Schiff base, which is a well-known dynamic bond with pH responsiveness. After successful incorporation of the hydrophobic AIE dye into the copolymers, cross-linked core–shell luminescent nanoparticles can be formed. The obtained AIE dye based LONs exhibited strong fluorescence and high water dispersibility because the AIE dye aggregated in the core and the hydrophilic polymers were covered on the shell. Biological evaluation results demonstrated that the AIE dye based LONs exhibited excellent biocompatibility and biological imaging properties. More importantly, these AIE dye based LONs exhibited desirable pH responsiveness, implying that these polymeric LONs can be potentially utilized for pH sensors and controlled drug delivery. With the combination of dynamic crosslinking and pH responsiveness, the obtained AIE dye based LONs should be of great significance for biomedical applications.
Co-reporter:Ke Wang, Xiaoyong Zhang, Xiqi Zhang, Xingliang Fan, Zengfang Huang, Yi Chen and Yen Wei
Polymer Chemistry 2015 vol. 6(Issue 32) pp:5891-5898
Publication Date(Web):30 Jun 2015
DOI:10.1039/C5PY00929D
PEGylated red fluorescent nanoparticles with excellent biocompatibility and photostablity were facilely prepared from nonluminous materials: first red fluorescent nanoparticles (GCC NPs) were robustly prepared from chitosan and glutaraldehyde; then the amino groups and hydroxyl groups on the GCC NP surfaces were modified with 2-bromoisobutyryl bromide to obtain GCC-Br, which was employed as the nanoparticles’ initiator in the ATRP system to finally obtain the GCC–poly(PEGMA) conjugates. The resulting GCC–poly(PEGMA) can emit a biofavorable deep red luminescence, which is quite stable and anti-photobleaching. Furthermore, GCC–poly(PEGMA) demonstrated excellent biocompatibility and water dispersibility due to the PEGMA chains conjugated on the surface; and the abundant hydroxyl groups on the surface can be further functionalized with diverse other groups or large biomolecules. This construction method demonstrated great advantages due to its simple strategy and economic value, and the NPs’ successful cellular imaging endows them with a lot of potential for various biomedical applications.
Co-reporter:Qing Wan, Ke Wang, Huilin Du, Hongye Huang, Meiying Liu, Fengjie Deng, Yanfeng Dai, Xiaoyong Zhang and Yen Wei
Polymer Chemistry 2015 vol. 6(Issue 29) pp:5288-5294
Publication Date(Web):08 Jun 2015
DOI:10.1039/C5PY00735F
Fluorescent organic nanoparticles (FNPs) have attracted great research interest for biological sensors, biological imaging and disease treatment. However, the preparation of ultrabright FNPs using conventional organic dyes is still a challenge for their aggregation caused quenching effect. In this work, we reported for the first time that polyethylene glycol (PEG) and an aggregation induced emission (AIE) dye, 2,2′-diaminotetraphenyl ethylene (DATPE), can be facilely conjugated by trimellitic anhydride chloride. Taking advantage of the different reaction activities of anhydride and chloride, anhydride-terminated PEG (ADPEG) was first synthesized through the reaction between hydroxyl groups and benzoyl chloride. Then ADPEG could further react with the amino groups of DATPE. Because of the AIE properties of DATPE, these amphiphilic triblock copolymers can self-assemble into FNPs (PEG-TPE FNPs) and emit strong blue-green fluorescence in aqueous solution. Cell uptake behavior and cytotoxicity evaluation suggested that PEG-TPE FNPs possessed excellent cytocompatibility and could be facilely taken up by cells, implying that PEG-TPE FNPs are promising for biomedical applications. More importantly, the method described in this work is rather simple and effective and, more importantly, can be extended to fabricate many other multifunctional FNPs on a large scale for various biomedical applications.
Co-reporter:Ke Wang, Xiaoyong Zhang, Xiqi Zhang, Chunping Ma, Zhen Li, Zengfang Huang, Qingsong Zhang and Yen Wei
Polymer Chemistry 2015 vol. 6(Issue 24) pp:4455-4461
Publication Date(Web):11 May 2015
DOI:10.1039/C5PY00378D
A novel amphiphilic glucose-containing fluorescent polymer based on aggregation induced emission (AIE) dyes, which could self-assemble into nanoparticles in aqueous media, has been facilely prepared. This glucose-containing polymer was synthesized in one pot; firstly, by free radical polymerization between the AIE monomer (PhE) and glycidyl methacrylate (GM), and subsequently, by the ring-opening reaction between GM and glucosamine hydrochloride (Glu). The resulting amphiphilic glycopolymer would readily self-assemble into nanoparticles with AIE dyes in the core and glycosyl groups on the surface. The AIE dyes in the core gave the nanoparticles a demonstrated strong orange fluorescence emission with high quantum yield of about 41% due to their aggregation induced emission characteristics, and the glycosyl groups on the surface endowed the nanoparticles with great water dispersibility. These nanoparticles showed excellent cell uptake behaviour and biocompatibility, and their cell imaging abilities were also confirmed, which makes them promising for further biomedical applications.
Co-reporter:Zengfang Huang, Xiqi Zhang, Xiaoyong Zhang, Bin Yang, Yaling Zhang, Ke Wang, Jinying Yuan, Lei Tao and Yen Wei
Polymer Chemistry 2015 vol. 6(Issue 11) pp:2133-2138
Publication Date(Web):14 Jan 2015
DOI:10.1039/C4PY01769B
In recent years, fluorescent organic nanoparticles (FONs) based on aggregation induced emission (AIE) dyes have received increasing attention for their potential in biology and biochemistry. In this contribution, a novel one-pot method for the fabrication of AIE-based FONs was developed via a combination of reversible addition–fragmentation chain-transfer (RAFT) polymerization and Schiff base reaction for the first time. During this procedure, an aldehyde functionalized hydrophobic tetraphenylethene AIE dye (named TPEA) reacted with the amine group of an amino-ended methacrylamide monomer by the Schiff base reaction, and the vinyl group in the monomer synchronously participated in RAFT polymerization together with a PEGMA monomer to form a new fluorescent copolymer. The as-prepared copolymer tended to self-assemble into FONs with the hydrophobic AIE core covered by a hydrophilic PEG shell, and the molar fractions of TPEA and PEG in the copolymer were about 20% and 80%, respectively, with 29200 g mol−1 (Mn) and a narrow polydispersity index (PDI) (∼1.30). The prepared amphiphilic copolymer nanoparticles (named TPEA-PEG) exhibited good fluorescence features and excellent dispersibility in aqueous solution. More importantly, these FONs presented a spherical morphology, uniform size (∼100 nm), and excellent biocompatibility, making them promising candidates for bioimaging applications.
Co-reporter:Qing Wan, Meiying Liu, Jianwen Tian, Fengjie Deng, Guangjian Zeng, Zhen Li, Ke Wang, Qingsong Zhang, Xiaoyong Zhang and Yen Wei
Polymer Chemistry 2015 vol. 6(Issue 10) pp:1786-1792
Publication Date(Web):10 Dec 2014
DOI:10.1039/C4PY01565G
An efficient and facile strategy was developed for the surface modification of functional carbon nanotubes (CNTs) by the combination of mussel inspired chemistry and single electron transfer living radical polymerization (SET-LRP). This method involves the dopamine (DA) formation of polydopamine (PDA), which was coated on the surface of pristine CNTs via self-polymerization in alkaline solution. Then, the Br-containing initiator was covalently attached on the surface of CNTs modified with PDA. Subsequently, the poly[poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate] (PPEGMA) was in situ grown on the surface of Br-containing CNTs via the SET-LRP method. The resulting functional materials were characterized by a series of characterization techniques. It was demonstrated that PPEGMA chains were successfully conjugated to the surface of CNTs via a combination of mussel inspired chemistry and SET-LRP. After modifying with PPEGMA, the functional CNTs retain their pristine structure, but their dispersibility was significantly improved in polar and nonpolar solutions. Compared with previous methods, the strategy developed in this work is rather simple and effective. More importantly, due to the universality of mussel inspired chemistry, this novel strategy could also be used for the surface modification of many other materials.
Co-reporter:Ke Wang, Xiaoyong Zhang, Xiqi Zhang, Bin Yang, Zhen Li, Qingsong Zhang, Zengfang Huang and Yen Wei
Polymer Chemistry 2015 vol. 6(Issue 8) pp:1360-1366
Publication Date(Web):27 Nov 2014
DOI:10.1039/C4PY01452A
Aggregation induced emission (AIE) dye based cross-linked fluorescent glycopolymer nanoparticles (FGNs) with red emission are synthesized for the first time. This is carried out firstly by free radical polymerization between the AIE monomer (R-E) and a renewable biobased monomer itaconic anhydride, and then by the ring-opening reaction between itaconic anhydride and glucosamine hydrochloride to obtain a glycopolymer with plenty of glycosyl groups. The resulting cross-linked amphiphilic glycopolymer was prone to self-assemble into stable nanoparticles with high water dispersibility due to the surplus carboxyl groups and glycosyl groups covering the surface which can also be further functionalized. The thus-obtained nanoparticles demonstrated strong red fluorescence emission owing to the AIE dyes in the core of the nanoparticles. Biocompatibility evaluation and cell uptake behaviour of the nanoparticles were further investigated to explore their potential biomedical applications; the demonstrated excellent biocompatibility made them promising for cell imaging.
Co-reporter:Zengfang Huang, Xiqi Zhang, Xiaoyong Zhang, Changkui Fu, Ke Wang, Jinying Yuan, Lei Tao and Yen Wei
Polymer Chemistry 2015 vol. 6(Issue 4) pp:607-612
Publication Date(Web):26 Nov 2014
DOI:10.1039/C4PY01421A
The development of fluorescent organic nanoparticles (FONs) based on aggregation induced emission (AIE) dyes has attracted significant research interest in recent years. In this work, a novel one-pot strategy for the fabrication of AIE-based FONs was developed via a combination of RAFT polymerization and enzymatic transesterification for the first time. During this procedure, a hydrophobic tetraphenylethene-functionalized AIE dye (denoted as TPEOH) with a hydroxyl end functional group and a hydrophilic polyethylene glycol monomethyl ether (mPEG-OH, Mn = 350) were simultaneously attached onto the methacrylate monomer via enzymatic transesterification. The amphiphilic copolymer formed after RAFT polymerization of the functionalized methacrylate monomers tended to self-assemble into FONs with the hydrophobic AIE core covered by a hydrophilic PEG shell. The molar fractions of TPE and PEG in the polymer were about 30.5% and 69.5%, respectively, while Mn was 4700 g mol−1 with a narrow polydispersity index (PDI) (∼1.30). The obtained amphiphilic polymer nanoparticles (denoted as TPE-PEG) demonstrated good fluorescence performance and excellent dispersibility in aqueous solution. More importantly, these FONs possessed a spherical morphology with a uniform size (about 200 nm) and excellent biocompatibility, making them promising for bioimaging applications.
Co-reporter:Xiaoyan Zheng, Meiying Liu, Junfeng Hui, Daidi Fan, Haixia Ma, Xiaoyong Zhang, Yaoyu Wang and Yen Wei
Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics 2015 vol. 17(Issue 31) pp:20301-20307
Publication Date(Web):01 Jul 2015
DOI:10.1039/C5CP01845E
In this paper we report two different doping strategies to prepare a series of novel HAp:Ln3+ (Ln = Eu or Tb) nanocrystals with tunable aspect ratios via facile hydrothermal synthetic routes. Adopting a one-pot synthetic strategy, with increasing rare-earth doping dosage, the as-prepared nanocrystals have relatively weak fluorescence intensity, and change from nanorods with lengths of about 150 nm into nanowires with lengths of about 2 μm. Using the synthetic pure HAp nanorods as matrices, they are endowed with bright green or red luminescent properties by doping Tb3+ or Eu3+ ions via a second hydrothermal process, and simultaneously retain their original morphologies (diameter 8 nm, length 150 nm). The hydrophobic HAp:Ln3+ nanorods with strong optical properties are converted into hydrophilic particles with a surfactant (Pluronic F127) and successfully applied to live cell imaging.
Co-reporter:Meiying Liu, Xiqi Zhang, Bin Yang, Zhan Li, Fengjie Deng, Yang Yang, Xiaoyong Zhang, Yen Wei
Carbohydrate Polymers 2015 Volume 121() pp:49-55
Publication Date(Web):5 May 2015
DOI:10.1016/j.carbpol.2014.12.047
•Starch based fluorescent organic nanoparticles.•One-pot hydrothermal treatment of starch and PEI.•PEI-Starch FONs exhibited high water dispersibility, excellent fluorescent properties and biocompatibility.•The method for preparation of PEI-Starch FONs is rather simple, scalable and cost-effective.Fluorescent organic nanoparticles (FONs) based on carbohydrate polymers were prepared through one-pot hydrothermal treatment of starch in the presence of polyethyleneimine. These FONs (named as PEI-Starch FONs) were characterized by a series of techniques including UV–Vis absorption spectroscopy, fluorescent spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Results showed that the size of PEI-Starch FONs is 10–30 nm. The PEI-Starch FONs exhibited high water dispersibility because of the existence of hydrophilic functional groups on their surface. After excited with different wavelength, PEI-Starch FONs emitted strong and excitation-dependent fluorescence. To evaluate their potential for biomedical applications, biocompatibility and cell uptake behavior of PEI-Starch FONs were further investigated. We demonstrated that PEI-Starch FONs are biocompatible with cells and can be easily internalized by cells within 3 h. Taken together, novel FONs have been prepared via a simple and scalable hydrothermal method using starch and polyethyleneimine as precursors. These PEI-Starch FONs showed excellent fluorescence properties, high water dispersibility and good biocompatibility, making them highly potential for various biomedical applications.
Co-reporter:Jianwen Tian, Haoxuan Zhang, Meiying Liu, Fengjie Deng, Hongye Huang, Qing Wan, Zhen Li, Ke Wang, Xiaohui He, Xiaoyong Zhang, Yen Wei
Applied Surface Science 2015 Volume 357(Part B) pp:1996-2003
Publication Date(Web):1 December 2015
DOI:10.1016/j.apsusc.2015.09.171
Highlights
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Surface PEGylation of silica nanoparticles via mussel inspired chemistry.
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Preparation of aminated polymers through free radical polymerization.
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Functionalized silica nanoparticles with aminated polymers via Michael addition reaction.
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Highly dispersed silica nanoparticles in organic and aqueous solution.
Co-reporter:Qing Wan, Jianwen Tian, Meiying Liu, Guangjian Zeng, Qiang Huang, Ke Wang, Qingsong Zhang, Fengjie Deng, Xiaoyong Zhang, Yen Wei
Applied Surface Science 2015 Volume 346() pp:335-341
Publication Date(Web):15 August 2015
DOI:10.1016/j.apsusc.2015.04.012
Highlights
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Surface modification of CNTs via mussel inspired chemistry.
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Preparation of aminated polymers through free radical polymerization.
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Functionalized CNTs with aminated polymers via Michael addition reaction.
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Highly dispersed CNTs in organic and aqueous solution.
Co-reporter:Xiaoyong Zhang, Qiang Huang, Meiying Liu, Jianwen Tian, Guangjian Zeng, Zhen Li, Ke Wang, Qinsong Zhang, Qing Wan, Fengjie Deng, Yen Wei
Applied Surface Science 2015 Volume 343() pp:19-27
Publication Date(Web):15 July 2015
DOI:10.1016/j.apsusc.2015.03.081
Highlights
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Functionalization of CNTs with amino groups through Michael addition reaction.
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Removal of copper ions via aminated CNTs.
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Surface modification of CNTs via bioinspired chemistry.
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Enhanced removal of heavy metal ions.
Co-reporter:Bingjie Chen, Shuhua Zhang, Qingsong Zhang, Qifeng Mu, Lingli Deng, Li Chen, Yen Wei, Lei Tao, Xiaoyong Zhang and Ke Wang
RSC Advances 2015 vol. 5(Issue 112) pp:91937-91945
Publication Date(Web):20 Oct 2015
DOI:10.1039/C5RA16811B
Learning from the idea of food fermentation, a facile and environmentally benign method has been developed for the preparation of 3D microorganism inspired hydrogels (MIH). To clarify the effect of temperature on the fermentation capacity of yeast, bubble coalescence, gelation time, pore shape and swelling behavior of MIH, a series of temperatures from 25 °C to 50 °C were set to synthesise super-/macro-porous polyacrylamide (PAM) hydrogels with fast response and hierarchical pore structure via an environmental friendly fermentation method. It is found that the gelation process of acrylamide and CO2 gas foaming process of yeast fermentation play decisive roles in controlling the pore structure and swelling behavior of PAM hydrogels. A mutual benefit on the fermentation and unique porous structure make HSYT hydrogels potentially applicable for drug delivery systems, food industries and chemical separation.
Co-reporter:Lihua Fu, Yingge Shi, Ke Wang, Ping Zhou, Meiying Liu, Qing Wan, Lei Tao, Xiaoyong Zhang and Yen Wei
New Journal of Chemistry 2015 vol. 39(Issue 10) pp:8172-8178
Publication Date(Web):17 Aug 2015
DOI:10.1039/C5NJ02055G
Surface modification of graphene oxide has attracted increasing attention in recent years. In this article, a green, facile and efficient method was developed to modify graphene oxide with polymers via combination of mussel inspired chemistry and Michael addition reaction. Graphite powder was first oxidized and exfoliated into a single layer of slices through a modified Hummers method, then coated with polydopamine, which was formed via self-polymerization of dopamine in alkaline solution. Next, the intermediate (GO–PDA) was grafted by polyacrylic acid, which was synthesized via reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer polymerization, through Michael addition reaction. The resulting products were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectrometry. The characterization results indicated the success of adhesion and grafting of PDA and polyacrylic acid, respectively. The resulting products also exhibited sensitivity to pH. Apart from the polymer demonstrated in this work, many other polymers may also be grafted onto graphene oxide through this strategy when different monomers were adopted. Furthermore, this strategy can also be extended to surface modification of many other materials for the versatility of mussel inspired chemistry. It is therefore recommended that the novel strategy developed in this work should be a general strategy for fabrication of various functional nanocomposites, which can exhibit better performance for different applications.
Co-reporter:Xu Hui, Dazhuang Xu, Ke Wang, Weijen Yu, Huaying Yuan, Meiying Liu, Shen Zhengyu, Xiaoyong Zhang and Yen Wei
RSC Advances 2015 vol. 5(Issue 130) pp:107355-107359
Publication Date(Web):14 Dec 2015
DOI:10.1039/C5RA23833A
Luminescent polymeric nanoparticles (LPNs) have attracted great attention in the field of biosensors, bioimaging and therapy. In this work, we reported that novel aggregation induced emission dye based LPNs can be facilely and efficiently fabricated through supermolecular self assembly. TPE-Ad/β-CD LPNs possess strong luminescent intensity, uniform size, high water dispersibility and desirable biocompatibility, making them promising candidates for bioimaging applications.
Co-reporter:Zhen Li, Benye Qin, Xiaoyong Zhang, Ke Wang, Yen Wei and Yan Ji
RSC Advances 2015 vol. 5(Issue 126) pp:104451-104457
Publication Date(Web):07 Dec 2015
DOI:10.1039/C5RA19614K
Polymers of intrinsic microporosity (PIMs) combine both advantages of microporous structure and good processability. In this paper, we demonstrate the potential use of PIM1 in self-healable anti-corrosion coatings for aluminum alloy 2024 (AA2024). Before the AA2024 is coated by commercial top paint, it is dip coated by a solution containing corrosion inhibitor benzotriazole (BTA) and PIM1. As the solvent evaporates, a BTA loaded PIM1 film forms. It is shown that BTA can be sustainably released, especially when damage occurs. This novel coating system exhibits notable improvement in the corrosion resistance of AA2024.
Co-reporter:Meiying Liu, Dazhuang Xu, Ke Wang, Fengjie Deng, Qing Wan, Guangjian Zeng, Qiang Huang, Xiaoyong Zhang and Yen Wei
RSC Advances 2015 vol. 5(Issue 117) pp:96983-96989
Publication Date(Web):06 Nov 2015
DOI:10.1039/C5RA19248J
Nanodiamond (ND) is a relative novel carbon nanomaterial that has recently received great research attention for biomedical applications thanks to its small size, unique luminescent properties and good biocompatibility. However, the water dispersibility of such a material has significantly impacted its performance. Although considerable advance has been made for the surface modification of ND, facile and efficient strategies are still highly desirable to be developed. In this study, high water dispersible ND based nanocomposites have been fabricated for the first time through host–guest interactions between adamantane and β-cyclodextrin (β-CD). Adamantane chloride was first reacted with the hydroxyl group of ND through esterification to obtain ND-Ad. Then β-CD was orthogonally immobilized onto ND-Ad through a host–guest interaction. These reactions can occur within 30 min under rather mild experimental conditions, including room temperature, air atmosphere, absence of hazardous reagents and expensive equipments. The successful preparation of such ND based supermolecular nanocomposites (ND-Ad/β-CD) was confirmed by a number of characterization techniques. ND-Ad/β-CD showed good water dispersibility and excellent cytocompatibility, making it promising for biomedical applications.
Co-reporter:Chunning Heng, Meiying Liu, Ke Wang, Xiaoyan Zheng, Hongye Huang, Fengjie Deng, Junfeng Hui, Xiaoyong Zhang and Yen Wei
RSC Advances 2015 vol. 5(Issue 111) pp:91308-91314
Publication Date(Web):16 Oct 2015
DOI:10.1039/C5RA19658B
A highly benign, simple and effective strategy was successfully developed for the first time for the fabrication of hydrophilic thermo-responsive polymer modified silica nanoparticles (SiO2-PDA-poly(NIPAM)) at low temperature and under mild reaction conditions via a combination of mussel inspired chemistry and SET-LRP. The SiO2 NPs were first modified with polydopamine (PDA), which was formed by the self-polymerization of dopamine under rather mild conditions. 2-Bromo-2-methylpropionyl bromide was covalently attached on the surface of the PDA modified SiO2 NPs. Afterward, the poly(NIPAM) was grown in situ on the surface of the Br-containing SiO2 NPs by the SET-LRP method. Consequently, the surface of the SiO2-PDA nanoparticles is intrinsically covered by a layer of free poly(NIPAM) chains, which enables the poly(NIPAM) to be colloidally stable not only at room temperature, but also upon incubation in the presence of proteins under physiological conditions. After modifying with PNIPAM, the functional SiO2 NPs retain their pristine structure, however their dispersibility was significantly improved in polar and nonpolar solutions. As compared with previous methods, the strategy developed in this work is rather simple and effective. More importantly, due to the universality of mussel inspired chemistry, this novel strategy could also be used for the surface modification of many other materials.
Co-reporter:Zengfang Huang, Xiqi Zhang, Xiaoyong Zhang, Shiqi Wang, Bin Yang, Ke Wang, Jinying Yuan, Lei Tao and Yen Wei
RSC Advances 2015 vol. 5(Issue 109) pp:89472-89477
Publication Date(Web):05 Oct 2015
DOI:10.1039/C5RA15983K
With the increasing interest in the use of luminescent probes in biomedical applications, the development of fluorescent organic nanoparticles (FONs) on the basis of aggregation induced emission (AIE) dyes has attracted great research attention. In this study, a polymerizable tetraphenylethene-functionalized AIE dye (named as TPEV) with a vinyl end functional group was synthesized by a “one-step” Suzuki coupling reaction of 4-vinylphenylboronic acid and bromotriphenylethylene, and the as-prepared hydrophobic AIE dye TPEV subsequently participated in the reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization together with the hydrophilic monomer of poly(ethylene glycol) monomethacrylate (PEGMA) to obtain a new amphiphilic copolymer (denoted as TPEV–PEG) with transformed side fluorescent groups. The Mn value of the obtained copolymer was about 29800 g mol−1 with a narrow polydispersity index (PDI) of about 1.30. The molar ratio of TPE to PEG segment in the copolymer was respectively about 19.2% to 80.8%, and it was easy for the TPEV–PEG copolymer to self-assemble into FONs with the hydrophobic AIE core encapsulated by a hydrophilic PEG shell. The research results further showed that the TPEV–PEG FONs presented good fluorescent features with the maximal emission peak at 480 nm, high dispersibility in water solution with homogeneous spherical morphology (∼200 nm) and excellent biocompatibility, giving them good potential for bioimaging applications.
Co-reporter:Yili Xie, Chengbin He, Leichun Liu, Liucheng Mao, Ke Wang, Qiang Huang, Meiying Liu, Qing Wan, Fengjie Deng, Hongye Huang, Xiaoyong Zhang and Yen Wei
RSC Advances 2015 vol. 5(Issue 100) pp:82503-82512
Publication Date(Web):14 Sep 2015
DOI:10.1039/C5RA15626B
The development of highly efficient adsorbents for the removal of organic dyes from wastewater has attracted much attention recently. Surface modification of adsorbents with polymers is a general strategy for enhancement of their adsorption capability. In this work, a novel strategy of a combination of mussel inspired chemistry and SET-LRP has been developed for the fabrication of highly efficient adsorbents, poly(sodium-p-styrene sulfonate) modified multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs), for the first time. The adsorption applications of these CNT based polymer nanocomposites for the removal of a cationic dye (methylene blue, MB) from a water solution were also examined. The successful preparation of these CNT based polymer nanocomposites was confirmed by a series of characterization techniques. Furthermore, the influence of adsorption parameters including contact time, concentration of MB, adsorption temperature and time has been investigated. According to the experimental data, the adsorption capacity of MB was directly proportional to the contact time, while inversely proportional to the temperature. The maximum adsorption capacity of MB for CNT-PDA-PSPSH was 160 mg g−1, demonstrating the excellent adsorptive property of functional CNTs for MB. The method described in this work for the preparation of CNT based polymer nanocomposites is simple, effective and general, and could be a universal strategy for preparation of highly efficient adsorbents for environmental applications.
Co-reporter:Ke Wang, Xiaoyong Zhang, Xiqi Zhang, Xingliang Fan, Zhen Li, Zengfang Huang, Qingsong Zhang and Yen Wei
RSC Advances 2015 vol. 5(Issue 92) pp:75823-75830
Publication Date(Web):02 Sep 2015
DOI:10.1039/C5RA16258K
Biocompatible and stable fluorescent polymer nanoparticles play significant roles in bioimaging and biomedical applications due to their convenient preparation strategies and unique properties. However, the construction methods are still limited now. Herein novel water dispersible and bright fluorescent polymer nanoparticles (PhE-TT-PEG FPNs) with great biocompatibility and stability have been facilely fabricated, and their cellular imaging applications were successfully demonstrated. The PhE-TT-PEG FPNs were readily prepared by self-assembly of amphiphilic copolymer PhE-TT-PEG, which was synthesized through free radical polymerization in one pot from AIE monomer PhE, trifunctional cross-linker TT, and biofavorable monomer PEGMA. A series of characterizations have been conducted to confirm the successful synthesis of PhE-TT-PEG, including gel permeation chromatography, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, FTIR spectroscopy, and 1H NMR spectroscopy. The morphology and optical properties of PhE-TT-PEG FPNs have been tested by transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, UV-Visible absorption spectroscopy and fluorescence spectroscopy. The PhE-TT-PEG FPNs can emit strong fluorescence with a high quantum yield of 40%, and they also demonstrate superb water dispersibility, morphology stability, photostability and biocompatibility. Finally, the fluorescence imaging of HeLa cells with PhE-TT-PEG FPNs is investigated in detail.
Co-reporter:Yili Xie, Qiang Huang, Meiying Liu, Ke Wang, Qing Wan, Fengjie Deng, Long Lu, Xiaoyong Zhang and Yen Wei
RSC Advances 2015 vol. 5(Issue 84) pp:68430-68438
Publication Date(Web):03 Aug 2015
DOI:10.1039/C5RA08908E
Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been widely used as adsorbents to remove various environmental pollutants because of their unique one dimensional structure, large surface areas and amount of micropores. However, the adsorption capacity of unmodified CNTs toward heavy metal ions is still limited due to their poor dispersibility and lack of functional groups. In this work, a novel strategy has been developed to prepare polyethylenimine functionalized CNTs via the combination of mussel inspired chemistry and the Michael addition reaction. The successful preparation of CNTs with amine groups was confirmed by a series of characterization measurements such as transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and thermal gravimetric analysis. Furthermore, the adsorption application of these amine functionalized CNTs toward Cu2+ was also examined. The effects of various factors including contact time, pH values, temperature and initial Cu2+ concentrations on the adsorption capability of the amine functionalized CNTs were also investigated. Langmuir and Freundlich models were used for thermomechanical analysis. The pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order and intra-particle diffusion models were used for the kinetics analysis. The results demonstrated that CNTs can be successfully functionalized with amine groups through a rather facile and mild bioinspired strategy. These amine functionalized CNTs exhibited a much enhanced adsorption efficiency toward Cu2+. Given the strong and versatile adhesion of PDA to various materials, the bioinspired strategy described in this work could also be utilized for the fabrication of many other nanocomposites for environmental applications.
Co-reporter:Qing Wan, Meiying Liu, Jianwen Tian, Fengjie Deng, Yanfeng Dai, Ke Wang, Zhen Li, Qingsong Zhang, Xiaoyong Zhang and Yen Wei
RSC Advances 2015 vol. 5(Issue 48) pp:38316-38323
Publication Date(Web):22 Apr 2015
DOI:10.1039/C4RA17292B
Surface modification of carbon nanotubes (CNT) with polymers is a general and effective strategy to improve the performance of CNTs for applications. In this work, a facile strategy to synthesize hydrophobic and hydrophilic CNT by mussel inspired chemistry and Single-Electron Transfer Living Radical Polymerization (SET-LRP) was developed for the first time. The successful synthesis of these CNT–polymer composites was confirmed by a series of characterization techniques including transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared, thermogravimetric analysis and X-ray photoelectron spectra. These CNT exhibited obviously enhanced dispersibility in water and different organic solvents after they were surface functionalized with hydrophilic and hydrophobic polymers. The synthetic strategy is convenient, versatile and environmentally friendly and can be extended for fabrication of many other polymer nanocomposites. Therefore, the method developed in the present work might open a new route to fabricate functional CNT–polymer composites for different applications.
Co-reporter:Qing Wan, Jianwen Tian, Meiying Liu, Guangjian Zeng, Zhen Li, Ke Wang, Qingsong Zhang, Fengjie Deng, Xiaoyong Zhang and Yen Wei
RSC Advances 2015 vol. 5(Issue 32) pp:25329-25336
Publication Date(Web):05 Mar 2015
DOI:10.1039/C4RA13408G
The biomedical applications of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been intensively investigated. However, poor water dispersibility and obvious toxicity of pristine CNTs are still two major issues for their biomedical applications. Although great efforts have been devoted to solving these problems, a simple and effective strategy for preparation of CNTs with high water dispersibility and desirable biocompatibility is still of great research interest. Herein, surface modification of CNTs with a biocompatible polymer polyethylene glycol (PEG) via a mussel inspired strategy has been developed. The dispersibility as well as biocompatibility of these PEGylated CNTs (named as CNT-poly(PEGMA-co-IA-DA)) was subsequently investigated. These PEGylated CNTs showed remarkable enhancement of dispersibility in aqueous and organic solvents. More importantly, as evidenced by cell viability and reactive oxygen species results, these PEGylated CNTs showed negative toxicity toward cancer cells. Therefore the PEGylated strategy described in this work can provide a general platform for fabrication of multifunctional biomaterials for various biomedical applications because of the advantages of mussel inspired chemistry and the excellent properties of PEGylated materials.
Co-reporter:Zengfang Huang, Xiqi Zhang, Xiaoyong Zhang, Shiqi Wang, Bin Yang, Ke Wang, Jinying Yuan, Lei Tao and Yen Wei
RSC Advances 2015 vol. 5(Issue 81) pp:65884-65889
Publication Date(Web):27 Jul 2015
DOI:10.1039/C5RA10283A
Due to the good biocompatibility, ε-polylysine (Ply) has been extensively investigated for various biomedical applications. In this study, a fluorescent monomer (named Flu-MA) was firstly synthesized through acylation reaction of fluorescein by methacryloyl chloride, and the initiator of ε-polylysine bromide (named Ply-Br) was prepared by the introduction of a bromine atom into Ply by the acylation reaction of Ply with α-bromoisobutyryl bromide. Subsequently, a novel amphiphilic fluorescent polymer (Flu-Ply) was successfully fabricated by ATRP via incorporation of Flu-MA monomer into Ply chains for the first time. The structure and properties of the obtained Flu-Ply fluorescent polymer were investigated in detail by 1H NMR, TEM, UV-vis, FL and FTIR, and the results confirmed the successful incorporation of Flu-MA into Ply by ATRP. As a result of Flu-MA and Ply respectively endowing the as-prepared Flu-Ply polymer with fluorescence and water dispersibility, it tended to self-assemble into fluorescent organic nanoparticles (FONs) with excellent biocompatibility. More importantly, the good fluorescence, uniform spherical morphology, excellent biocompatibility and water dispersibility of Flu-Ply FONs exhibited an attractive prospect for bioimaging applications.
Co-reporter:Xiaoyong Zhang, Meiying Liu, Xiqi Zhang, Fengjie Deng, Cuiying Zhou, Junfeng Hui, Wanyun Liu and Yen Wei
Toxicology Research 2015 vol. 4(Issue 1) pp:160-168
Publication Date(Web):01 Oct 2014
DOI:10.1039/C4TX00066H
The interaction of manufactured nanomaterials with environmental and biological systems has been a subject of great research interest for a long time. In the present study, adsorption of a universal environmental organic material (named tannic acid (TA)) on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) was investigated. The influence of CNT properties and pH values on the sorption capacity of CNTs for TA was also evaluated. Our results demonstrated that the sorption capacity of CNTs was positively correlated with their specific surface areas. Furthermore, TA could effectively enhance the water dispersibility of CNTs and reduce their cytotoxicity. Our results implied that TA could influence the environmental behavior and biological responses of the manufactured nanomaterials, reminding us that much more attention should be paid to the synergistic toxicity of nanomaterials when we evaluate their environmental impacts.
Co-reporter:Qingsong Zhang, Xiaozhao Wang, Qifeng Mu, Pengfei Liu, Shujun Jia, Li Chen, Xiaoyong Zhang, Ke Wang, Yen Wei
Materials Chemistry and Physics 2015 Volume 166() pp:133-143
Publication Date(Web):15 September 2015
DOI:10.1016/j.matchemphys.2015.09.037
•The color of Genipin/SS solution changed from yellow to green, skyblue and dark blue.•The color change depended on Genipin/SS ratio and reacted time.•Genipin cross-linked hydrogels presented increasing pore size and good cell adsorption.To investigate the color reactions between naturally cross-linking agent genipin and silk sericin (SS), a series of genipin/SS film with adjustable color were firstly fabricated and analyzed by FTIR, UV/Vis and colorimetric methods. Then under the various genipin/SS contents, double cross-linked genipin/SS/Poly(N-isopropyl- acrylamide/N,N′-Methylene-bis-acrylamide) (HMGX) hydrogels were prepared, and the SEM, DSC, gravimetric and MTT method were performed to investigate pore structure, swelling behavior, temperature-sensitivities and cell adhesion behavior of HMGX hydrogels. The results show that SS cross-linked by genipin presents various colors during reaction. With increasing genipin/SS from 0 to 20 wt% or reacted time from 0 to 250 min, the color of genipin/SS mixture solution changes from transparent yellow to green, then to skyblue and finally became dark blue. After SS was cross-linked genipin, the maximum absorption peak turns to 570–600 nm from 282 nm, the reacted gardenia blue shows thermo/pH stable and water soluble. The absorption values of genipin/SS solutions increase, especially as genipin/SS ratio is 20 wt%, sharply increase can be found. The reaction time or rate between sericin and genipin is dependent on genipin/SS feed ratios. And with increasing mass percentage of genipin/(NIPAm + SS) from 0 to 10 wt%, due to high hydrophilicity of cross-linked product between genipin and SS, the pore sizes of HMGX hydrogels increase 1–3.75 times, the maximum swelling ratios (MSR) values increase to 2243% from 1057%. The volume phase transition temperature (VPTT) values of HMGX hydrogels keep still at 32–36 °C, but the endothermic peak becomes broader. After adsorption of L929 cells for 4 h and 1 d, the hydrogel with 3 wt% of genipin/(NIPAm + SS) presents the highest adhesion percentage.
Co-reporter:Ke Wang;Xiaoyong Zhang;Xiqi Zhang;Bin Yang;Zhen Li;Qingsong Zhang;Zengfang Huang
Macromolecular Chemistry and Physics 2015 Volume 216( Issue 6) pp:678-684
Publication Date(Web):
DOI:10.1002/macp.201400564
Co-reporter:Zengfang Huang;Changkui Fu;Shiqi Wang;Bin Yang;Xing Wang;Qingsong Zhang;Jinying Yuan;Lei Tao
Macromolecular Chemistry and Physics 2015 Volume 216( Issue 13) pp:1483-1489
Publication Date(Web):
DOI:10.1002/macp.201500106
Co-reporter:Jianwen Tian;Dazhuang Xu;Meiying Liu;Fengjie Deng;Qing Wan;Zhen Li;Ke Wang;Xiaohui He;Xiaoyong Zhang
Journal of Polymer Science Part A: Polymer Chemistry 2015 Volume 53( Issue 16) pp:1872-1879
Publication Date(Web):
DOI:10.1002/pola.27638
ABSTRACT
Surface functionalization of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with a thermo responsive polymer was achieved via combination of mussel inspired chemistry and surface initiated single electron transfer living radical polymerization (SET-LRP). In this procedure, CNTs were first coated with polydopamine (PDA) through self polymerization under a rather mild condition. And then PDA functionalized CNTs bearing with amino and hydroxyl groups were further reacted with bromo isobutyryl bromide. Finally, a thermo responsive polymer poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) was introduced on the CNTs via SET-LRP. The successful surface modification of CNT-PDA-PNIPAM was evidenced by a series of characterization techniques. The resulting CNT-PDA-PNIPAM showed significant enhancement of dispersibility in both aqueous and organic solvents. More importantly, these CNT-polymer nanocomposites showed obvious thermo responsive behavior due to the surface coating CNTs with PNIPAM. As compared with previous methods, this method is not required oxidation of CNTs to introduce funcitonal groups for immobilization of the polymerization initiators. More importantly, this method could also be utilized for fabricating many other polymer nanocomposites because of the strong and universal adhesive of PDA to various materials. It is therefore, the novel strategy via marrying mussel inspired chemistry with SET-LRP should be a simple, general and effective method for surface functionalization. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2015, 53, 1872–1879
Co-reporter:Ke Wang, Xiaoyong Zhang, Xiqi Zhang, Bin Yang, Zhen Li, Qingsong Zhang, Zengfang Huang, Yen Wei
Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces 2015 Volume 126() pp:273-279
Publication Date(Web):1 February 2015
DOI:10.1016/j.colsurfb.2014.12.025
•Novel aggregation induced emission (AIE) dyes based cross-linked amphiphilic fluorescent polymer has been facilely prepared in one pot.•The polymer can self-assemble into stable nanoparticles with strong fluorescence and water dispersibility.•The fluorescent polymer nanoparticles were promising for cell imaging due to their excellent biocompatibilities.Facile one-pot preparation of cross-linked amphiphilic fluorescent polymer based on aggregation induced emission (AIE) dyes and 2-isocyanatoethyl methacrylate (IM) has been developed. This was carried out first by free radical polymerization between AIE monomer (PhE) and IM, and then polyethyleneimine (PEI) was introduced to obtain the cross-linked fluorescent polymer. The resulted cross-linked amphiphilic polymer was prone to self-assemble into stable nanoparticles in aqueous solution with surplus amino groups on the surface which made them highly water dispersible and can be further functionalized. The as-prepared fluorescent polymer nanoparticles (PhE-IM-PEI FPNs) were fully characterized by a series of techniques including 1H NMR spectrum, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, UV–vis absorption spectrum, and fluorescence spectra. Such FPNs demonstrated intense orange fluorescence with a high quantum yield of about 40%. Biocompatibility evaluation and cell uptake behavior of the nanoparticles were further investigated to explore their potential biomedical applications; the demonstrated excellent biocompatibility made them promising for cell imaging.
Co-reporter:Meiying Liu, Ke Wang, Xiaoyong Zhang, Xiqi Zhang, Zhen Li, Qingsong Zhang, Zengfang Huang, Yen Wei
Tetrahedron 2015 Volume 71(Issue 34) pp:5452-5457
Publication Date(Web):26 August 2015
DOI:10.1016/j.tet.2015.06.074
Glycosylated cross-linked red fluorescent amphiphilic polymer has been facilely synthesized in one pot, which would readily self-assemble into nanoparticles with high water dispersibility in aqueous media. The resulted nanoparticles have surplus carboxyl groups and glycosyl groups on the surface, which can be further functionalized, and they can demonstrate strong bio-favorable red fluorescence with a fluorescence quantum yield of 18% due to the aggregation induced emission (AIE) dyes aggregated in the core. Moreover, the nanoparticles also revealed great photostability and structure stability with an ultralow critical micelle concentration of 0.0018 mg mL−1. Their excellent biocompatibility and cell uptake behavior make them promising for cellular imaging.
Co-reporter:Qing Wan, Chengbin He, Ke Wang, Meiying Liu, Hongye Huang, Qiang Huang, Fengjie Deng, Xiaoyong Zhang, Yen Wei
Tetrahedron 2015 Volume 71(Issue 46) pp:8791-8797
Publication Date(Web):18 November 2015
DOI:10.1016/j.tet.2015.09.041
Preparation and biomedical applications of aggregation induced emission (AIE) dye based fluorescent nanoprobes (FNPs) have been extensively investigated in recent years. And great efforts have been devoted toward fabrication of AIE dye based FNPs through both noncovalent and covalent strategies. However, to the best of our knowledge, the preparation of AIE dye based FNPs via dynamic bonds is rarely reported. In this work, ultrabright FNPs based on AIE dyes have been fabricated using aldehyde-terminated polyethylene glycol (CHO-PEG-CHO) with molecular weight of 2000 Da and 2,2′-diaminotetraphenyl ethylene (TPE-NH2) through formation of Schiff base. The resulting TPE contained copolymers are prone to self-assemble into stabilized core shell nanoparticles (TPE@PEG FNPs). The successful formation of TPE@PEG FNPs was confirmed by 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Due to their amphipihlic properties, TPE@PEG FNPs displayed high water dispersibility and strong fluorescence intensity. Furthermore, biological evaluation results demonstrated that TPE@PEG FNPs possess excellent biocompatibility and can be facilely internalized by cells. The extraordinary fluorescent properties, excellent water dispersibility as well as the desirable biocompatibility make TPE@PEG FNPs promising candidates for biomedical applications. On the other hand, because of the pH stimuli responsiveness of Schiff base, TPE@PEG FNPs are expected to exhibit some advantages for biomedical applications as compared with the FNPs fabricated by noncovalent and covalent strategies.This work reported the fabrication of AIE dye based fluorescent nanoprobes through formation of dynamic bonds, which should be very useful for development of stimuli responsive nanotheranostics.
Co-reporter:Haiyan Peng ; Shuguang Bi ; Mingli Ni ; Xiaolin Xie ; Yonggui Liao ; Xingping Zhou ; Zhigang Xue ; Jintao Zhu ; Yen Wei ; Christopher N. Bowman ;Yiu-Wing Mai
Journal of the American Chemical Society 2014 Volume 136(Issue 25) pp:8855-8858
Publication Date(Web):June 16, 2014
DOI:10.1021/ja502366r
Controlling the kinetics and gelation of photopolymerization is a significant challenge in the fabrication of complex three-dimensional (3D) objects as is critical in numerous imaging, lithography, and additive manufacturing techniques. We propose a novel, visible light sensitive “photoinitibitor” which simultaneously generates two distinct radicals, each with their own unique purpose–one radical each for initiation and inhibition. The Janus-faced functions of this photoinitibitor delay gelation and dramatically amplify the gelation time difference between the constructive and destructive interference regions of the exposed holographic pattern. This approach enhances the photopolymerization induced phase separation of liquid crystal/acrylate resins and the formation of fine holographic polymer dispersed liquid crystal (HPDLC) gratings. Moreover, we construct colored 3D holographic images that are visually recognizable to the naked eye under white light.
Co-reporter:Yang Yang, Zhiqiang Pei, Xiqi Zhang, Lei Tao, Yen Wei and Yan Ji
Chemical Science 2014 vol. 5(Issue 9) pp:3486-3492
Publication Date(Web):23 Apr 2014
DOI:10.1039/C4SC00543K
Assembling epoxy, one of the most common and widely used thermosets, by welding with remote control is extremely difficult and has not been realized so far, as epoxy cannot melt or be dissolved. Here we present a very simple but highly efficient solution by exploring the photothermal effect of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to manipulate the transesterification reaction in vitrimers. The carbon nanotube dispersed vitrimer epoxy presented here can be welded by light within seconds or minutes. Moreover, various CNT–vitrimer epoxy materials with different chemical compositions and physical properties can be joined together. Furthermore, transmission welding can be used to weld CNT–vitrimers with other kinds of epoxy or thermoplastic polymers, which is not applicable to welding by direct heating and impossible to realize using the currently available photoweldable covalently cross-linked polymer networks. Additionally, these networks can be efficiently healed by light without the involvement of any glue or sealing agents.
Co-reporter:Xiqi Zhang, Zhiyong Ma, Yang Yang, Xiaoyong Zhang, Xinru Jia and Yen Wei
Journal of Materials Chemistry A 2014 vol. 2(Issue 42) pp:8932-8938
Publication Date(Web):27 Aug 2014
DOI:10.1039/C4TC01457J
We synthesized three new benzothiadiazole-cored cyano-substituted diphenylethene derivatives (PT-OMe, PT-H, and PT-CF3) with different methoxy, hydrogen, and trifluoromethyl end groups, and the synthesis confirmed by standard spectroscopic methods. These end groups endowed them with different donor–acceptor (D–A) effects, and they provide them with a peculiar and completely opposite mechanofluorochromic property. Red-shifted mechanofluorochromic features were found in the PT-OMe and PT-H compounds, while on the contrary, PT-CF3 showed blue-shifted mechanofluorochromic behavior. The mechanofluorochromic mechanism was explored and attributed to the metastable state of the ground compounds and the crystalline-amorphous phase transformation between the original and ground states. Moreover, these derivatives showed reversible significant mechanofluorochromic properties and reproducibility between ground and annealed states, making them promising stimuli-responsive and smart luminescent materials for mechanosensors, fluorescence switches and light-emitting device applications. The introduction of the D–A effect strategy demonstrated in this work would provide a new path to fine tune the optical features of mechanofluorochromic materials with unique and diverse fluorescent properties.
Co-reporter:Xiqi Zhang, Xiaoyong Zhang, Bin Yang, Junfeng Hui, Meiying Liu, Zhenguo Chi, Siwei Liu, Jiarui Xu and Yen Wei
Journal of Materials Chemistry A 2014 vol. 2(Issue 5) pp:816-820
Publication Date(Web):02 Dec 2013
DOI:10.1039/C3TC31852D
An aggregation induced emission monomer with two amino end-groups was facilely incorporated into stable cross-linked fluorescent polymeric nanoparticles (FPNs) via room temperature anhydride ring-opening polycondensation and subsequent cross-linking with polyethylenimine. These FPNs showed high water dispersibility, uniform size, intense red fluorescence, and excellent biocompatibility, making them promising for cell imaging applications.
Co-reporter:Xiqi Zhang, Xiaoyong Zhang, Lei Tao, Zhenguo Chi, Jiarui Xu and Yen Wei
Journal of Materials Chemistry A 2014 vol. 2(Issue 28) pp:4398-4414
Publication Date(Web):23 Apr 2014
DOI:10.1039/C4TB00291A
Novel fluorescent nanoparticle (FNP)-based bioprobes are expected to generate new medical diagnostic techniques in biomedical and biological areas for their superior brightness and photostability compared with conventional molecular probes including small organic dyes and fluorescent proteins. Potentially interesting nanoscale platforms for various biomedical applications are greatly attractive due to the potential to avoid exposure of human tissues to toxic drugs, enhancing delivery of hydrophobic therapeutics and fabricating multifunctional imaging, targeting and delivery system. In this review, recent progress in the area of novel aggregation induced emission (AIE)-based FNPs is summarized over the past few years (2007–2013), and the reported fabrication methodologies of these fluorescent systems including non-covalent and covalent strategies are mainly discussed, and the biomedical applications of AIE-based FNPs are also summarized.
Co-reporter:Yupeng Wu, Siwei Liu, Yangchun Tao, Chunping Ma, Yi Zhang, Jiarui Xu, and Yen Wei
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 2014 Volume 6(Issue 3) pp:1470
Publication Date(Web):January 22, 2014
DOI:10.1021/am404696u
A series of amphiphlic diblock polymers, tetraaniline block with different length of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (TA-b-PNIPAM), have been successfully synthesized. In a suitable solution, the as-synthesized diblock polymers can form stable large compound vesicles (LCVs) with multiple bimolecular-layer structure through self-assembly. These factors, such as the block length, different organic solvent, solvent ratio, pH value, temperature, and voltage, which affect the morphology and properties of the assembled aggregates, are systematically investigated. When the degree of polymerization of PNIPAM block is close to 10, the as-synthesized diblock polymer may form stable LCVs with the uniform size as well as few defects in the mixed solvent of dimethylformamide/water (v/v = 3:7). The assembled LCVs possess the properties of triple-responsive capacity on temperature, pH, and voltage. Variation in any of these factors can cause some changes in the morphology of LCVs. The drug release properties for doxorubicin (DOX) loaded by LCVs affected by temperature, voltage, and different pH values have been investigated. It is interesting that the structure of LCVs can be destructed completely by applying a voltage at 0.6 V. With such an advantage, the drugs loaded by the LCVs could burst release into designated place by using appropriate circuit design or instrument, thus achieving maximum efficacy of the loaded drugs or other bioactive molecules without any unnecessary chemical substances added. This approach allows us to concentrate more on material design aspects only, without regard to the complex targeting issue which is the biggest obstacle of such materials in practical applications.Keywords: drug release; large compound vesicle; multiresponse; pinpoint targeting; self-assembly; tetraaniline diblock polymer;
Co-reporter:Xiqi Zhang, Xiaoyong Zhang, Bin Yang, Yaling Zhang, and Yen Wei
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 2014 Volume 6(Issue 5) pp:3600
Publication Date(Web):February 20, 2014
DOI:10.1021/am4058309
Cyano-substituted diarylethlene derivatives R-OMe (-H, -CF3) with different peripheral substituted groups were synthesized in high yield. Water-soluble red fluorescent organic nanoparticles (FONs) could be facilely prepared from them via hydrophobic interaction with polyoxyethylene–polyoxypropylene–polyoxyethylene triblock copolymer (Pluronic F127). The optical properties and surface morphology of the synthesized FONs were characterized, and their biocompatibilities as well as their applications in cell imaging were further investigated. We demonstrate that such red FONs exhibit antiaggregation-caused quenching properties, broad excitation wavelengths, excellent water dispersibilities, and biocompatibilities, making them promising for cell imaging.Keywords: antiaggregation-caused quenching; broad excitation wavelength; cell imaging; cyano-substituted diarylethlene derivatives; red fluorescent organic nanoparticles;
Co-reporter:Haiyin Li, Xiqi Zhang, Xiaoyong Zhang, Bin Yang, Yang Yang and Yen Wei
Polymer Chemistry 2014 vol. 5(Issue 12) pp:3758-3762
Publication Date(Web):14 Apr 2014
DOI:10.1039/C4PY00386A
An aggregation induced emission (AIE) chain transfer agent was utilized for the first time to construct biocompatible cross-linked fluorescent polymeric nanoparticles (FPNs) for cell imaging applications. These FPNs were demonstrated to have bright fluorescence and ultra-stable dispersibility in extremely dilute physiological solution.
Co-reporter:Xiqi Zhang, Xiaoyong Zhang, Bin Yang, Yang Yang and Yen Wei
Polymer Chemistry 2014 vol. 5(Issue 20) pp:5885-5889
Publication Date(Web):04 Jul 2014
DOI:10.1039/C4PY00794H
A renewable cross-linked fluorescent amphiphilic polymer was facilely fabricated from a new aggregation induced emission monomer and biobased itaconic acid via free radical polymerization. This amphiphilic polymer was prone to self-assemble into nanoparticles with high water dispersibility, low critical micelle concentration, bright red fluorescence, and excellent biocompatibility for cell imaging.
Co-reporter:Xiaoyong Zhang, Xiqi Zhang, Bin Yang, Junfeng Hui, Meiying Liu, Wanyun Liu, Yiwang Chen and Yen Wei
Polymer Chemistry 2014 vol. 5(Issue 3) pp:689-693
Publication Date(Web):04 Oct 2013
DOI:10.1039/C3PY01272G
PEGylation of aggregation induced emission (AIE) based fluorescent organic nanoparticles (FONs) via one pot ring-opening polymerization and condensation reaction was developed for the first time. Thus PEGylated FONs exhibited high water dispersibility, strong fluorescence, uniform morphology and more important excellent biocompatibility, implying their high potential for various biomedical applications.
Co-reporter:Xiaoyong Zhang, Xiqi Zhang, Bin Yang, Meiying Liu, Wanyun Liu, Yiwang Chen and Yen Wei
Polymer Chemistry 2014 vol. 5(Issue 2) pp:399-404
Publication Date(Web):20 Aug 2013
DOI:10.1039/C3PY00984J
Aggregation induced emission (AIE) dye-based fluorescent organic nanoparticles (FONs) have recently emerged as novel fluorescent bioprobes due to their remarkable optical properties, water solubility and biocompatibility. In this work, a novel strategy for the fabrication of AIE-based FONs was developed via emulsion polymerization for the first time. During this procedure, a polymerizable AIE dye (named as PhE) with a double bond end functional group was facilely incorporated into the hydrophobic core of polymer nanoparticles. The obtained polymer nanoparticles (named as PhE–Pst NPs) exhibited strong fluorescence and high water dispersibility owing to the partial aggregation of PhE and the surface covered with a hydrophilic shell. More importantly, these FONs showed spherical morphology, uniform size (about 200 nm) and excellent biocompatibility, making them promising for bioimaging applications.
Co-reporter:Haiyin Li;Xiqi Zhang;Xiaoyong Zhang;Bin Yang;Yang Yang
Macromolecular Rapid Communications 2014 Volume 35( Issue 19) pp:1661-1667
Publication Date(Web):
DOI:10.1002/marc.201400309
Co-reporter:Haitao Cui;Liguo Cui;Peibiao Zhang;Yubin Huang;Xuesi Chen
Macromolecular Bioscience 2014 Volume 14( Issue 3) pp:440-450
Publication Date(Web):
DOI:10.1002/mabi.201300366
Abstract
The injectable electroactive and antioxidant hydrogels are prepared from mixing the tetraaniline functional copolymers and α-cyclodextrin (α-CD) aqueous solution. UV–vis and CV of the copolymer solution showed good electroactive properties. The antioxidant ability of the copolymer is also proved. The gelation mechanism and properties of the system are studied by WAXD, DSC, and rheometer. The encapsulated cells are highly viable in the hydrogels, suggesting that the hydrogels have excellent cytocompatibility. After subcutaneous injection, H&E staining study suggests acceptable biocompatibility of the materials in vivo. Moreover, data shows the injectable electroactive material can effectively accelerate the proliferation of encapsulated cells with electrical stimuli, and the mechanism is also elaborated. Such an injectable electroactive hydrogel would more closely mimic the native extracellular matrix, thereby combining a biomimetic environment of long-term cell survival and electrical signal to support the generation of functional tissue.
Co-reporter:Meiying Liu;Xiqi Zhang;Bin Yang;Liangji Liu;Fengjie Deng;Xiaoyong Zhang
Macromolecular Bioscience 2014 Volume 14( Issue 9) pp:1260-1267
Publication Date(Web):
DOI:10.1002/mabi.201400140
Fluorescent organic nanoparticles based on aggregation induced emission dyes are fabricated through a ring-opening reaction using polylysine as the linker. The fluorescent organic nanoparticles obtained are characterized by a series of techniques including UV–vis absorption spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. A biocompatibility evaluation and the cell uptake behavior of the fluorescent organic nanoparticles are further investigated to evaluate their potential biomedical applications. It is demonstrated that these fluorescent organic nanoparticles can be obtained at room temperature in an air atmosphere without the need for catalyst or initiator. Furthermore, these crosslinked aggregation induced emission dye based fluorescent organic nanoparticles show uniform morphology, strong red fluorescence, high water dispersability, and excellent biocompatibility, making them promising candidates for various biomedical applications.
Co-reporter:Haiyin Li;Xiqi Zhang;Xiaoyong Zhang;Bin Yang;Yang Yang;Zengfang Huang
Macromolecular Bioscience 2014 Volume 14( Issue 10) pp:1361-1367
Publication Date(Web):
DOI:10.1002/mabi.201400223
Phospholipid monomer and aggregation–induced emission (AIE) dye-based dimers are incorporated via reversible addition-fragmentation transfer polymerization to afford cross-linked zwitterionic fluorescent copolymers. Such copolymers are prone to self-assembly into fluorescent polymeric nanoparticles (FPNs) in physiological solution due to their amphiphilic nature. Characterization of these red FPNs by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy indicates the successful preparation of these zwitterionic copolymers. UV–visible absorption spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and dynamic light scattering are performed to demonstrate the bright red fluorescence of the FPNs and their stable dispersibilities, even below the critical micelle concentration in physiological solution. Finally, studies of the biocompatibility and cell uptake behavior of the FPNs are conducted and show excellent biocompatibility for cell imaging application.
Co-reporter:Meiying Liu;Xiqi Zhang;Bin Yang;Fengjie Deng;Yang Yang;Zhen Li;Xiaoyong Zhang
Macromolecular Bioscience 2014 Volume 14( Issue 12) pp:1712-1718
Publication Date(Web):
DOI:10.1002/mabi.201400262
With the ever increasing interest in biomedical applications of luminescent probes, the development of novel luminescent nanoparticles which showed high water dispersibility, strong luminescence and excellent biocompatibility has been extensively pursued. In this work, cross-linked luminescent polymeric nanoparticles based on aggregation induced emission (AIE) dyes were fabricated through combination of free radical polymerization and ring-opening reaction using AIE dye as the fluorogen and linker simultaneously. Our results demonstrated that these AIE dye based cross-inked polymeric nanoparticles showed high water dispersibility, remarkable luminescent properties and excellent biocompatibility, is highly potential for biomedical applications.
Co-reporter:Meiying Liu, Xiqi Zhang, Bin Yang, Fengjie Deng, Zhen Li, Junchao Wei, Xiaoyong Zhang, Yen Wei
Applied Surface Science 2014 Volume 322() pp:155-161
Publication Date(Web):15 December 2014
DOI:10.1016/j.apsusc.2014.09.208
Highlights
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Cross-linked aggregation induced emission dyes based dots.
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These AIE dots were prepared via one pot emulsion polymerization.
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These AIE dots showed uniform morphology, high stable in aqueous solution.
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These AIE dots emitted strong red fluorescence.
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These AIE dots were promising for cell imaging.
Co-reporter:Xiaoyong Zhang, Xiqi Zhang, Bin Yang, Liangji Liu, Fengjie Deng, Junfeng Hui, Meiying Liu, Yiwang Chen and Yen Wei
RSC Advances 2014 vol. 4(Issue 46) pp:24189-24193
Publication Date(Web):23 May 2014
DOI:10.1039/C4RA01176G
Glycosylated fluorescent organic nanoparticles (FONs) based on aggregation induced emission (AIE) dyes were fabricated for the first time through one-pot ring-opening reaction. These glycosylated AIE dye based FONs showed uniform morphology, high water dispersibility, strong red fluorescence and excellent biocompatibility, making them promising candidates for various biomedical applications.
Co-reporter:Qingsong Zhang, Bingjie Chen, Lei Tao, Mingyang Yan, Li Chen and Yen Wei
RSC Advances 2014 vol. 4(Issue 61) pp:32475-32481
Publication Date(Web):19 Jun 2014
DOI:10.1039/C4RA04243C
Based on the production of baking bread, rolls, cake, beer or Chinese steamed bread, a novel microorganism inspired macro/super-porous hydrogel composed of specific polymers and single-celled fungi, yeast, was prepared by the production of carbon dioxide (CO2) via a fermentation method. The appearance, porous structure, swelling behavior and adsorption properties of the resulting hydrogels were investigated by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), UV/Vis spectroscopy and gravimetric methods. The resultant hydrogel presents a yellowish brown color similar to that of ale yeast, and the integration of polymeric materials and fungi has significantly improved the pore shape/size, swelling and adsorption properties of the hydrogels. Both super- and macro-pores with diameters ranging from 1 mm to 5 μm exist in the hierarchical matrix of the hydrogels. The super/macro-porous hydrogels can absorb water very rapidly and swell to an equilibrium state in less than 60 min. With increasing consumption of yeast or sugar, the adsorption capacity (Qt) of hydrogels can be increased by 1.39–1.87 times. After adsorbing cationic dye crystal violet (CV), pores of the hydrogel matrix were blocked and a dense layer was formed. By using same fermentation method porous fibers, elastomers, ceramics and metals could be obtained, which might have potential applications in the fields of cell culture, catalytic substrates, chemical separation and battery electrodes.
Co-reporter:Meiying Liu, Xiqi Zhang, Bin Yang, Fengjie Deng, Jinzhao Ji, Yang Yang, Zengfang Huang, Xiaoyong Zhang and Yen Wei
RSC Advances 2014 vol. 4(Issue 43) pp:22294-22298
Publication Date(Web):13 May 2014
DOI:10.1039/C4RA03103B
Novel fluorescent organic nanoparticles (FONs) were facilely prepared via hydrothermal treatment of maltose and polyethyleneimine in water. These FONs exhibited suitable size and size distribution, high water dispersibility, excellent biocompatibility and tunable luminescence, making them highly potential for biological imaging applications.
Co-reporter:Xiaoyong Zhang, Xiqi Zhang, Bin Yang, Liangji Liu, Junfeng Hui, Meiying Liu, Yiwang Chen and Yen Wei
RSC Advances 2014 vol. 4(Issue 20) pp:10060-10066
Publication Date(Web):11 Dec 2013
DOI:10.1039/C3RA46076B
In this work, we reported for the first time that luminescent silica nanoparticles could be easily fabricated by the encapsulation of an aggregation-induced emission dye (named An18) via a modified Stöber method. In this method, octadecyltrimethoxysilane (C18-Si) and An18 were first self assembled and served as the core of the silica nanoparticles. Then another silicate precursor, tetraethoxysilane, was further coated on the luminescent core, thus forming luminescent silica nanoparticles. The properties of the thus obtained luminescent silica nanoparticles (named An18-SiO2 NPs) were investigated by fluorescence spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The biocompatibility and cell uptake behavior of the An18-SiO2 NPs were further investigated to evaluate their potential for biomedical applications. Our results demonstrated that the An18-SiO2 NPs have a uniform spherical morphology (with diameter of 70–80 nm), high water dispersibility, remarkable fluorescent properties and excellent biocompatibility, making them a promising candidate material for various biomedical applications.
Co-reporter:Lu Han, Jing Zhao, Juan Liu, Xiang-Lin Duan, Lu-Hai Li, Xian-Fu Wei, Yen Wei, Xing-Jie Liang
Biomaterials 2014 35(9) pp: 3110-3120
Publication Date(Web):
DOI:10.1016/j.biomaterials.2013.12.048
Co-reporter:Xi-qi Zhang 张锡奇;Xiao-yong Zhang;Bin Yang
Chinese Journal of Polymer Science 2014 Volume 32( Issue 11) pp:1479-1488
Publication Date(Web):2014 November
DOI:10.1007/s10118-014-1537-3
Water soluble tetraphenylethene-based (TPE) aggregation-induced emission fluorescent organic nanoparticles (FONs) were facilely prepared via Schiff base condensation with polyethylenimine (PEI) and subsequent reduction. The obtained TPE-PEI FONs were characterized by a series of techniques including 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, gel permeation chromatography, UV absorption spectra, fluorescence spectra, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, size distribution and zeta potential measurement, and transmission electron microscopy. Biocompatibility evaluation and cell imaging of TPE-PEI FONs were further explored. We demonstrated that such FONs showed intense fluorescence, spherical morphology and excellent biocompatibility, making them very suitable for cell imaging application.
Co-reporter:Xi-qi Zhang 张锡奇;Xiao-yong Zhang;Bin Yang
Chinese Journal of Polymer Science 2014 Volume 32( Issue 7) pp:871-879
Publication Date(Web):2014 July
DOI:10.1007/s10118-014-1461-6
A cyano-substituted diarylethlene derivative aggregation-induced emission (AIE) dye with two amino end-groups and 4,4′-(hexafluoroisopropylidene)diphthalic anhydride were facilely incorporated into red fluorescent organic nanoparticles (FONs) via room temperature anhydride ring-opening polymerization under an air atmosphere. These obtained RO-HFDA FONs were characterized by a series of techniques including gel permeation chromatography, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, size distribution and zeta potential measurements, UV-Vis absorption spectrum, fluorescent spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Biocompatibility evaluation and cell uptake behavior of RO-HFDA FONs were further investigated to explore their potential biomedical application. We demonstrated that such FONs showed high water dispersibility, stable uniform spherical morphology (150–200 nm), broad excitation band (350–605 nm), intense red fluorescence (627 nm) and excellent biocompatibility, making them promising for cell imaging applications.
Co-reporter:Xiaoyong Zhang, Xiqi Zhang, Bin Yang, Yaling Zhang, Meiying Liu, Wanyun Liu, Yiwang Chen, Yen Wei
Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces 2014 Volume 113() pp:435-441
Publication Date(Web):1 January 2014
DOI:10.1016/j.colsurfb.2013.09.031
•Reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization.•PEGylation of C18-R.•Cell imaging of C18-R-FONs.•Biocompatibility of C18-R-FONs.•Aggregate induce emission enhancement.PEGylated red fluorescent organic nanoparticles (FONs) with aggregate induced emission enhancement (AIEE) properties have been prepared via self assembly of a cyano-substituted diarylethene derivate dye (C18-R) and synthetic copolymers, which were obtained by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization using stearyl methacrylate and poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate as monomers. Thus obtained FONs were characterized by a series of techniques including transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and fluorescent spectroscopy. To explore their potential biomedical applications, biocompatibility and cell uptake behavior of these red FONs were subsequently investigated. We demonstrated that FONs showed uniform morphology, suitable particle size (70–90 nm), high water dispersibility, strong red fluorescence and excellent biocompatibility, making them promising for bioimaging applications.
Co-reporter:Haiyin Li, Xiqi Zhang, Xiaoyong Zhang, Bin Yang, Yen Wei
Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces 2014 Volume 121() pp:347-353
Publication Date(Web):1 September 2014
DOI:10.1016/j.colsurfb.2014.06.015
•Stable cross-linked polymeric fluorescent nanoparticles (PFNs) were covalently constructed.•Itaconic anhydride was utilized as a renewable resource.•The PFNs emitted intense fluorescence due to the introduction of aggregation induced emission dye.•The PFNs were stable below critical micelle concentration owing to the cross-liked architecture.•The PFNs were promising for cell imaging.Self-assembly of polymeric materials to form nanoparticles is a particularly promising strategy for various biomedical applications, however, these self-assembling systems often encounter the critical micelle concentration (CMC) issue, as the nanoparticles is usually unstable at low concentration. Therefore, stable cross-linked fluorescent polymeric nanoparticles (FPNs) were covalently constructed from an aggregation induced emission (AIE) dye, itaconic anhydride, poly(ethylene glycol) monomethyl ether methacylate and polyethylenimine. These obtained PhE-ITA-20%(80%) FPNs were fully characterized by a series of techniques including 1H NMR spectra, UV–vis absorption spectra, fluorescence spectra, FT-IR spectra, transmission electron microscopy, gel permeation chromatography, and dynamic light scattering. Such FPNs emitted intense fluorescence due to the introduction of aggregation induced emission dye. More importantly, the FPNs were found extremely stable in physiological solution even below the CMC owing to their cross-linked architectures. Biocompatibility evaluation and cell uptake behavior of the FPNs were further investigated to explore their potential biomedical applications, the demonstrated excellent biocompatibility made them promising for cell imaging.Stable cross-linked polymeric fluorescent nanoparticles (PhE-ITA-20%(80%)) were covalently constructed from itaconic anhydride, an aggregation induced emission dye, poly(ethylene glycol) monomethyl ether methacylate and polyethylenimine, then were fully characterized and investigated for cell imaging application.
Co-reporter:Xiqi Zhang, Xiaoyong Zhang, Bin Yang, Yang Yang, Qiaomei Chen, Yen Wei
Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces 2014 Volume 123() pp:747-752
Publication Date(Web):1 November 2014
DOI:10.1016/j.colsurfb.2014.10.027
•Polyethylenimine and glucose were incorporated to construct fluorescent organic nanoparticles (FONs).•The prepared condition was mild.•The FONs emitted various fluorescent colors under different excitation wavelengths.•The FONs showed intense fluorescence and high water dispersibility.•The FONs were promising for cell imaging due to their excellent biocompatibilities.Fluorescent organic nanoparticles (FONs) were facilely prepared from polyethylenimine and glucose at mild reaction condition, and further utilized for cell imaging with various fluorescent wavelengths. The as-prepared PEI-Glu FONs were fully characterized by a series of techniques including 1H NMR spectrum, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, UV–vis absorption spectrum, and fluorescence spectra. Such FONs were demonstrated with intense fluorescence and high water dispersibility. Biocompatibility evaluation and cell uptake behavior of these FONs were further investigated, which proved excellent biocompatibility and made them promising for cell imaging.
Co-reporter:Haitao Cui, Yadong Liu, Yilong Cheng, Zhe Zhang, Peibiao Zhang, Xuesi Chen, and Yen Wei
Biomacromolecules 2014 Volume 15(Issue 4) pp:
Publication Date(Web):March 5, 2014
DOI:10.1021/bm4018963
Injectable hydrogels made of degradable biomaterials can function as both physical support and cell scaffold in preventing infarct expansion and promoting cardiac repair in myocardial infarction therapy. Here, we report in situ hydrogels consisting of thermosensitive PolyNIPAM-based copolymers and electroactive tetraaniline (TA). Studies showed that the addition of 2-methylene-1,3-dioxepane (MDO) provided the PolyNIPAM-based gel with biodegradability, and the introduction of tetraaniline endowed these copolymers with desirable electrical properties and antioxidant activities. The encapsulated H9c2 cells (rat cardiac myoblast) remained highly viable in the gel matrices. In vivo gel formation and histological analyses were performed in rats by subcutaneous injection and excellent biocompatibility was observed. Furthermore, the proliferation and intracellular calcium transients of H9c2 cells were also studied with (and without) electrical stimuli. Both in vitro and in vivo results demonstrated that electroactive hydrogel may be used as a promising injectable biomaterial for cardiac tissue engineering.
Co-reporter:Haitao Cui, Yu Wang, Liguo Cui, Peibiao Zhang, Xianhong Wang, Yen Wei, and Xuesi Chen
Biomacromolecules 2014 Volume 15(Issue 8) pp:
Publication Date(Web):July 4, 2014
DOI:10.1021/bm5007695
In this study, a novel electroactive tetreaniline-containing degradable polyelectrolyte multilayer film (PEM) coating [(poly(l-glutamic acid)-graft-tetreaniline/poly(l-lysine)-graft-tetreaniline)n, (PGA-g-TA/PLL-g-TA)n] was designed and fabricated by layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly method. Compared with the nongrafted PEMs, the tetreaniline-grafted PEMs showed higher roughness and stiffness in micro/nanoscale structures. The special surface characteristics and the typical electroconductive properties were more beneficial for adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation of preosteoblast MC3T3-E1 cells. Moreover, the enhanced effects were observed on the modulation of MC3T3-E1 cells that differentiated into maturing osteoblasts, when the electroactive PEMs were coupled with electrical stimulus (ES), especially in the early phase of the osteoblast differentiation. The alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, calcium deposition, immunofluorescence staining, and RT-qPCR were evaluated on the differentiation of preosteoblast. These data indicate that the comprehensive effects through coupling electroactive scaffolds with electrical stimulus are better to develop bioelectric strategies to control cell functions for bone regeneration.
Co-reporter:Xiqi Zhang, Zhiyong Ma, Yang Yang, Xiaoyong Zhang, Zhenguo Chi, Siwei Liu, Jiarui Xu, Xinru Jia, Yen Wei
Tetrahedron 2014 70(4) pp: 924-929
Publication Date(Web):
DOI:10.1016/j.tet.2013.12.015
Co-reporter:Xiqi Zhang, Xiaoyong Zhang, Bin Yang, Yaling Zhang, Yen Wei
Tetrahedron 2014 70(22) pp: 3553-3559
Publication Date(Web):
DOI:10.1016/j.tet.2014.04.010
Co-reporter:Xiqi Zhang, Xiaoyong Zhang, Shiqi Wang, Meiying Liu, Lei Tao and Yen Wei
Nanoscale 2013 vol. 5(Issue 1) pp:147-150
Publication Date(Web):05 Nov 2012
DOI:10.1039/C2NR32698A
Water soluble and biocompatible fluorescent organic nanoparticles based on aggregation-induced emission (AIE) material were facilely prepared by mixing AIE material and surfactant. The utilization of such fluorescent organic nanoparticles for cell imaging applications was further explored.
Co-reporter:Xiaoyong Zhang, Xiqi Zhang, Shiqi Wang, Meiying Liu, Yun Zhang, Lei Tao, and Yen Wei
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 2013 Volume 5(Issue 6) pp:1943
Publication Date(Web):January 30, 2013
DOI:10.1021/am302512u
Aggregation-induced emission (AIE) materials were facilely incorporated into mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) via one-pot surfactant templated method. Cell imaging and cancer therapy applications of such fluorescent MSNs were further explored. We demonstrated that AIE-MSN nanocomposites showed strong fluorescence and uniform morphology, making them promising for both cell imaging and cancer therapy.Keywords: aggregation-induced emission; biomedical applications; cancer therapy; cell imaging; drug delivery; mesoporous silica nanoparticles;
Co-reporter:Yingze Cao, Xiaoyong Zhang, Lei Tao, Kan Li, Zhongxin Xue, Lin Feng, and Yen Wei
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 2013 Volume 5(Issue 10) pp:4438
Publication Date(Web):April 18, 2013
DOI:10.1021/am4008598
An oil/water separation mesh with high separation efficiency and intrusion pressure of water has been successfully developed by combining mussel-inspired chemistry and Michael addition reaction. The substrate of the stainless steel mesh was first coated with the adhesive polydopamine (PDA) film by simple immersion in an aqueous solution of dopamine at pH of 8.5. Then n-dodecyl mercaptan (NDM) was conjugated with PDA film through Michael addition reaction at ambient temperature. The as-prepared mesh showed highly hydrophobicity with the water contact angle of 144° and superoleophilicity with the oil contact angle of 0°. It can be used to separate a series of oil/water mixtures like gasoline, diesel, etc. The separation efficiency remains high after 30 times use (99.95% for hexane/water mixture). More importantly, the relatively high intrusion pressure (2.2 kPa) gives the opportunity to separation of large amount of oil and water mixtures. This study provides a new prospect to simply introduce multiple molecules on the adhesive PDA-based mesh to achieve various functional oil/water separation materials.Keywords: highly hydrophobic; Michael addition reaction; mussel-inspired chemistry; nanostructured; oil/water separation; superoleophilic;
Co-reporter:Changkui Fu;Shiqi Wang;Lin Feng;Xiaoqi Liu;Yan Ji;Lei Tao;Shuxi Li
Advanced Healthcare Materials 2013 Volume 2( Issue 2) pp:302-305
Publication Date(Web):
DOI:10.1002/adhm.201200166
Co-reporter:X. Dong, L. Lin, J. Chen, H. Tian, C. Xiao, Z. Guo, Y. Li, Y. Wei, X. Chen
Acta Biomaterialia 2013 Volume 9(Issue 6) pp:6943-6952
Publication Date(Web):June 2013
DOI:10.1016/j.actbio.2013.02.007
Abstract
To search for potential non-viral nucleic acids carriers, a series of novel cationic polymers, multi-armed poly(aspartate-graft-oligoethylenimine) (MP-g-OEI) copolymers were designed and synthesized by grafting different types of oligoethylenimine (OEI) to a multi-armed poly(l-aspartic acid) backbone. The as-synthesized MP-g-OEI copolymers were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance and gel permeation chromatography. These MP-g-OEI copolymers (MP423, MP600 and MP1800) exhibited good capacity in condensing nucleic acids (pDNA or siRNA) into nanosized particles (90–150 nm) with positive surface charges. Gene transfection activity of the MP-g-OEI copolymers (especially MP1800) showed improved performance compared with PEI25k in both HeLa and CHO cell lines. The silencing efficiency of MP600/siRNA and MP1800/siRNA complexes showed a superior knockdown effect in CT26 and Huh-7 cell lines. Moreover, the MP-g-OEI copolymers exhibited much lower cytotoxicity than PEI25k. Flow cytometric analysis showed that MP-g-OEI copolymers could efficiently mediate the entry of nucleic acids into cells. These results suggest that MP-g-OEI copolymers may be potential non-viral gene carriers for the delivery of nucleic acids in future gene therapy.
Co-reporter:Changkui Fu, Chongyu Zhu, Shiqi Wang, Honglei Liu, Yun Zhang, Hongchao Guo, Lei Tao and Yen Wei
Polymer Chemistry 2013 vol. 4(Issue 2) pp:264-267
Publication Date(Web):14 Nov 2012
DOI:10.1039/C2PY20875J
A straightforward methodology to facilely synthesize optically active polymers has been successfully developed through a one-pot combination of enzymatic resolution reaction and living radical polymerization.
Co-reporter:Chongyu Zhu, Bin Yang, Yuan Zhao, Changkui Fu, Lei Tao and Yen Wei
Polymer Chemistry 2013 vol. 4(Issue 21) pp:5395-5400
Publication Date(Web):15 May 2013
DOI:10.1039/C3PY00553D
Looking at ‘old’ reactions from new perspectives sometimes brings new breakthroughs in current hot research areas. We therefore reinvestigated the successful multicomponent reactions (MCRs) in organic chemistry, and are pleased to find the Biginelli reaction, one of the most famous MCRs, has almost all the ‘clickable’ features reported in ‘click chemistry’. The modules of the Biginelli reaction are easily obtained with even more functionalities and diversity, and the reaction can be carried out under mild conditions quickly, compatibly and nearly quantitatively with only water as the byproduct. In current research, the Biginelli reaction has been demonstrated as a new ‘click’ reaction via application in polymer chemistry and chemical biology. Through the modification of polymer chains (side or chain end groups), and the combination with living radical polymerization in a one pot strategy, functional homopolymer and copolymer have been quantitatively prepared, demonstrating the high efficiency and compatibility of the Biginelli reaction in polymer chemistry. Furthermore, we are surprised and excited to find Biginelli reaction can be used as a ‘catalyst free’ bioorthogonal-click reaction to anchor dyes on cell membrane, indicating its possible application in chemical biology. Thus, we address here the ‘clickable’ aspects of the Biginelli reaction, a MCR that is more than 120 years ‘old’. We hope the new insight into the MCRs might bring some new members to the click family as a new type of click reaction: multicomponent click reaction (MCR-Click) which might have potential applications in other areas, such as materials science, polymer chemistry and chemical biology in place of traditional organic chemistry.
Co-reporter:Xiqi Zhang, Meiying Liu, Bin Yang, Xiaoyong Zhang, Zhenguo Chi, Siwei Liu, Jiarui Xu and Yen Wei
Polymer Chemistry 2013 vol. 4(Issue 19) pp:5060-5064
Publication Date(Web):29 Jul 2013
DOI:10.1039/C3PY00860F
A cross-linkable aggregation induced emission (AIE) dye (named as R-E) with two vinyl end groups was facilely incorporated into polymer nanoparticles through reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer polymerization. Thus obtained polymeric nanoparticles showed uniform size, high water dispersibility, strong red fluorescence and excellent biocompatibility, making them promising for cell imaging applications.
Co-reporter:Xiaoyong Zhang, Junfeng Hui, Bin Yang, Yong Yang, Daidi Fan, Meiying Liu, Lei Tao and Yen Wei
Polymer Chemistry 2013 vol. 4(Issue 15) pp:4120-4125
Publication Date(Web):07 May 2013
DOI:10.1039/C3PY00489A
PEGylation is a popular approach for the surface functionalization of nanoparticles to achieve improved properties and better performance. Herein, we developed a facile method for surface PEGylation of hydrophobic fluoridated hydroxyapatite (FAp):Ln3+ (Ln = Eu or Tb) nanorods via hydrophobic interactions between oleic acid and amphiphilic synthetic copolymers, which were synthesized through reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization using stearyl methacrylate (SMA) and poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate (PEGMA) as monomers. Our results demonstrated that the morphology and fluorescent properties of the FAp nanorods are not significantly changed by the PEGylation procedure, and the resulting FAp nanorods were found to be stable in aqueous solution. More importantly, these PEGylated FAp nanorods are biocompatible with cells and could be utilized for cell imaging applications. Therefore, we believe that the method described in this work is a simple, efficient and general strategy for the surface PEGylation of hydrophobic nanoparticles.
Co-reporter:Yun Zhang, Changkui Fu, Chongyu Zhu, Shiqi Wang, Lei Tao and Yen Wei
Polymer Chemistry 2013 vol. 4(Issue 3) pp:466-469
Publication Date(Web):11 Dec 2012
DOI:10.1039/C2PY21039H
A simultaneous multicomponent polymerization (MCP) system combining copper(I) catalyzed azide alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC, ‘Click’ reaction), enzymatic transesterification and atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) has been successfully developed.
Co-reporter:Xiaoyong Zhang, Shiqi Wang, Meiying Liu, Bin Yang, Lin Feng, Yan Ji, Lei Tao and Yen Wei
Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics 2013 vol. 15(Issue 43) pp:19013-19018
Publication Date(Web):24 Sep 2013
DOI:10.1039/C3CP52883A
Fluorescent nano-graphite oxides (NGO) with different size distribution were prepared via a one-pot hydrothermal route using ultrasmall graphite powder as starting material and subsequently separated using dialysis tubes with different molecular weight cutoff. The biomedical applications of these NGO for cell imaging were further investigated. Fourier transform infrared spectra demonstrated that many functional groups including the hydroxyl group, carboxyl group and epoxy group were present on NGO, which endowed them with good water solubility. These NGO showed size-dependent photoluminescence and excellent biocompatibility with A549 cells. As evidenced by laser scanning confocal microscopy images, NGO could be internalized by A549 cells and located in the cytoplasm. Given their good water solubility, size tunable photoluminescence and excellent biocompatibility, these NGO should be promising for bioimaging and various biomedical applications.
Co-reporter:Xiaoyong Zhang, Shiqi Wang, Chongyu Zhu, Meiying Liu, Yan Ji, Lin Feng, Lei Tao, Yen Wei
Journal of Colloid and Interface Science 2013 Volume 397() pp:39-44
Publication Date(Web):1 May 2013
DOI:10.1016/j.jcis.2013.01.063
Water dispersible carbon-dots (CDs) with tunable photoluminescence were synthesized via one-pot hydrothermal oxidation of nanodiamond and subsequently utilized for cell imaging applications. The CDs were characterized by the following techniques including transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, UV–Visible spectroscopy, and fluorescent spectroscopy. Results showed that the size of CDs is mainly distributed at 3–7 nm. Many functional groups were introduced on the surface of CDs during hydrothermal oxidation procedure. Cell morphology observation and cell viability measurement demonstrated the good biocompatibility of CDs, suggesting their potential bioimaging applications.Graphical abstractFigure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload high-quality image (205 K)Download as PowerPoint slideHighlights► Carbon-dots was derived from nanodimond. ► Carbon-dots with tunable photoluminescence. ► Carbon-dots show excellent biocompatibility. ► Carbon-dots were used to cell imaging.
Co-reporter:Xuan Dong;Lin Lin;Jie Chen;Zhaopei Guo;Huayu Tian;Yuce Li;Xuesi Chen
Macromolecular Bioscience 2013 Volume 13( Issue 4) pp:512-522
Publication Date(Web):
DOI:10.1002/mabi.201200346
Co-reporter:Yadong Liu;Haitao Cui;Xiuli Zhuang;Peibiao Zhang;Yi Cui;Xianhong Wang;Xuesi Chen
Macromolecular Bioscience 2013 Volume 13( Issue 3) pp:356-365
Publication Date(Web):
DOI:10.1002/mabi.201200345
Co-reporter:Xiqi Zhang, Zhiyong Ma, Meiying Liu, Xiaoyong Zhang, Xinru Jia, Yen Wei
Tetrahedron 2013 69(49) pp: 10552-10557
Publication Date(Web):
DOI:10.1016/j.tet.2013.10.066
Co-reporter:Xiqi Zhang, Meiying Liu, Bin Yang, Xiaoyong Zhang, Yen Wei
Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces 2013 Volume 112() pp:81-86
Publication Date(Web):1 December 2013
DOI:10.1016/j.colsurfb.2013.07.052
•Aggregation-induced emission based fluorescent organic nanoparticles (FONs) were facilely prepared via Schiff base condensation with ɛ-polylysine.•Such FONs showed high water dispersibility, intense fluorescence, uniform morphology.•The FONs were promising for cell imaging due to their excellent biocompatibility.Tetraphenylethene-based (TPE) aggregation-induced emission fluorescent organic nanoparticles (FONs) were facilely prepared via Schiff base condensation with ɛ-polylysine (Ply) and subsequent reduction to form stable CN covalent bond. Thus obtained TPE-Ply FONs were characterized by a series of techniques including fluorescent spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Biocompatibility evaluation and cell uptake behavior of TPE-Ply FONs were further investigated to explore their potential biomedical application. We demonstrated that such FONs showed high water dispersibility, intense fluorescence, uniform morphology (100–200 nm) and excellent biocompatibility, making them promising for cell imaging application.Water soluble and biocompatible tetraphenylethene-based aggregation-induced emission fluorescent organic nanoparticles (TPE-Ply) were facilely prepared via Schiff base condensation and utilized for cell imaging.
Co-reporter:Haitao Cui, Jun Shao, Yu Wang, Peibiao Zhang, Xuesi Chen, and Yen Wei
Biomacromolecules 2013 Volume 14(Issue 6) pp:
Publication Date(Web):April 24, 2013
DOI:10.1021/bm4002766
Injectable hydrogels have served as biomimic scaffolds that provide a three-dimensional (3D) structure for tissue engineering or carriers for cell encapsulation in the biomedical field. In this study, the injectable electroactive hydrogels (IEHs) were prepared by introducing electrical properties into the injectable materials. Carboxyl-capped tetraaniline (CTA) as functional group was coupled with enantiomeric polylactide–poly(ethylene glycol)–polylactide (PLA-PEG-PLA), and the electroactive hydrogels were obtained by mixing the enantiomeric copolymers of CTA-PLLA-PEG-PLLA-CTA and CTA-PDLA-PEG-PDLA-CTA aqueous solutions. ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV–vis) and cyclic voltammetry (CV) of the complex solution showed good electroactive properties. The gelation mechanism and intermolecular multi-interactions such as stereocomplextion, hydrogen bonding, and π–π stacking were studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), UV–vis, and wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD). Gelation properties of the complexes were also studied by rheometer. The encapsulated cells remained highly viable in the gel matrices, suggesting that the hydrogels have excellent cytocompatibility. After subcutaneous injection, the gels were formed in situ in the subcutaneous layer, and hematoxylin–eosin (H&E) staining suggested acceptable biocompatibility of our materials in vivo. Moreover, these injectable materials, when treated with pulsed electrical stimuli, were shown to be functionally active and to accelerate the proliferation of encapsulated fibroblasts, cardiomyocytes, and osteoblasts. Hence, the IEHs possessing these excellent properties would be potentially used as in vivo materials for tissue engineering scaffold.
Co-reporter:Wei Zhong, Fan Li, Lie Chen, Yiwang Chen and Yen Wei
Journal of Materials Chemistry A 2012 vol. 22(Issue 12) pp:5523-5530
Publication Date(Web):08 Feb 2012
DOI:10.1039/C2JM15970H
Pristine and aligned electrospun fibers of poly[2-methoxy-5-(2′-ethylhexyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene] (MEH-PPV) have been fabricated by electrospinning. The key to success was using a binary solvent system, in which a poor solvent was introduced to increase interchain interactions of MEH-PPV. At the same time, the poor solvent should have a low surface tension and high conductivity. The emission spectra of pristine MEH-PPV in electrospun fibers, spin coating film and dilute solution were acquired and analyzed. The emission anisotropy of aligned electrospun fibers was investigated by polarized emission measurement. For pristine MEH-PPV fibers, the emission anisotropy is 0.47 at emission peak, indicating alignment of MEH-PPV chains along the electrospun fiber axis. For MEH-PPV/poly (ε-caprolactone) (PCL) electrospun fibers, the interchain energy transfer in MEH-PPV was significantly depressed. As a result, MEH-PPV/PCL electrospun fibers exhibited a strong blue shift of emission maximum and increased emission anisotropy of 0.66 compared with pristine MEH-PPV electrospun fibers. The ease of electrospinning of pristine MEH-PPV provides new opportunities for its application in unique optoelectronic devices.
Co-reporter:Xiaoyong Zhang, Shiqi Wang, Liangxin Xu, Lin Feng, Yan Ji, Lei Tao, Shuxi Li and Yen Wei
Nanoscale 2012 vol. 4(Issue 18) pp:5581-5584
Publication Date(Web):25 Jul 2012
DOI:10.1039/C2NR31281F
Biocompatible fluorescent organic nanoparticles with tunable photoluminescence were prepared via the one-pot oxidation of polydopamine and subsequently utilized for cell imaging.
Co-reporter:Xiaofeng Lu, Xiujie Bian, Guangdi Nie, Chengcheng Zhang, Ce Wang and Yen Wei
Journal of Materials Chemistry A 2012 vol. 22(Issue 25) pp:12723-12730
Publication Date(Web):24 May 2012
DOI:10.1039/C2JM16559G
This work describes the encapsulation of conducting polypyrrole (PPy) into electrospun TiO2 nanofibers to form PPy/TiO2 nanocomposites using V2O5 as an oxidant and sacrificial template via a simple vapor phase polymerization approach. The PPy/TiO2 nanocomposites could be used as nanoreactors for loading Pd nanocatalysts towards the catalytic reduction of p-nitrophenol by sodium borohydride (NaBH4) at ambient conditions. The Pd nanocrystals synthesized through the in situ reduction by the PPy/TiO2 matrix have a small size of only about 2.0 nm. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), ultraviolet-visible-near infrared spectroscopy (UV-vis-NIR) and thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) results demonstrated that PPy/TiO2 and PPy/TiO2/Pd composite nanofibers were successfully synthesized. Pd nanoparticles supported on the PPy/TiO2 composite nanofibers exhibited good catalytic activity when they worked as catalysts for the reduction of p-nitrophenol. The apparent kinetic rate constant (Kapp) was calculated to be about 12.2 × 10−3 s−1. The protective PPy/TiO2 composite nanofibers render the Pd nanoparticles stable against poisoning by the product of the reaction, enabling the composite nanocatalysts to be recyclable when used over multiple cycles.
Co-reporter:Feng Zhang, Siwei Liu, Yi Zhang, Zhenguo Chi, Jiarui Xu and Yen Wei
Journal of Materials Chemistry A 2012 vol. 22(Issue 33) pp:17159-17166
Publication Date(Web):27 Jun 2012
DOI:10.1039/C2JM32647G
A poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) derivative, poly(ethoxyethyl glycidyl ether-co-allyl glycidyl ether)-g-catechol (PEAC), has been synthesized. With vinyl side groups, this polymer can readily undergo further thiol–ene photochemical reactions. Due to the existence of the pendant catechol functional groups, PEAC can be attached onto the surface of various substrates, including hydrophilic (e.g. glass), metallic (e.g. titanium) and hydrophobic (e.g. polytetrafluoroethylene) substrates. Various thiols can be subsequently immobilized onto the PEAC-modified surfaces through the thiol–ene reaction. The surface PEGylation and further thiol immobilization have been verified by static water contact angle, ellipsometry and XPS measurements. The results of 3T3 fibroblast cell adhesion assays show that the PEAC-modified substrates have good biological anti-fouling ability. Thus this material would be used on medical implants and diagnostic devices, as well as other applications where the reduction of surface fouling is desired. More interestingly, the PEAC-modified surface is cell-repelling but exhibits excellent cell adhesion ability after further attachment of 3-mercaptopropionic acid. It would thus allow for designing and adjusting the cell adhesion ability of the substrates. This versatile, substrate-independent approach should be of significance for the development of new materials in the field of cell culture and tissue engineering.
Co-reporter:Yaling Zhang, Bin Yang, Xiaoyong Zhang, Liangxin Xu, Lei Tao, Shuxi Li and Yen Wei
Chemical Communications 2012 vol. 48(Issue 74) pp:9305-9307
Publication Date(Web):25 Jul 2012
DOI:10.1039/C2CC34745H
A straightforward method to prepare a novel magnetic self-healing hydrogel has been successfully developed.
Co-reporter:Changkui Fu, Lei Tao, Yun Zhang, Shuxi Li and Yen Wei
Chemical Communications 2012 vol. 48(Issue 72) pp:9062-9064
Publication Date(Web):03 Aug 2012
DOI:10.1039/C2CC34633H
A facile “one-pot” chemoenzymatic-ATRP has been successfully developed through the combination of copper-catalytic ATRP and enzyme-catalytic monomer transformation reactions.
Co-reporter:Shiqi Wang, Changkui Fu, Yun Zhang, Lei Tao, Shuxi Li, and Yen Wei
ACS Macro Letters 2012 Volume 1(Issue 10) pp:1224
Publication Date(Web):October 4, 2012
DOI:10.1021/mz300444w
Enzymatic transesterification was combined with RAFT polymerization to develop a new one-pot synthetic method for new polymer synthesis. This method contained in situ monomer transformation reaction between acyl donor monomer and primary alcohols such as hexanol and so on, followed by subsequent RAFT polymerization to get target polymers. The enzymatic reaction and RAFT polymerization tolerated each other and cooperated well to get new polymers with a completely transformed new monomer, high polymer yields, excellent control over the polymerization process, and good enzyme activity maintenance, providing a general and straightforward methodology for new polymer synthesis and modification.
Co-reporter:Xiaoyong Zhang, Shiqi Wang, Changkui Fu, Lin Feng, Yan Ji, Lei Tao, Shuxi Li and Yen Wei
Polymer Chemistry 2012 vol. 3(Issue 10) pp:2716-2719
Publication Date(Web):25 Jul 2012
DOI:10.1039/C2PY20457F
Water dispersible and biocompatible polyPEGylated ND nanoparticles were prepared via surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization. Cell internalization study reveals that ND nanoparticles facilitate the transport of doxorubicin hydrochloride into A549 cells, indicating their potential applications in cancer therapy.
Co-reporter:Bin Yang, Yaling Zhang, Xiaoyong Zhang, Lei Tao, Shuxi Li and Yen Wei
Polymer Chemistry 2012 vol. 3(Issue 12) pp:3235-3238
Publication Date(Web):24 Aug 2012
DOI:10.1039/C2PY20627G
An inexpensive, biocompatible self-healing hydrogel as a new injectable cell therapy carrier has been facilely developed.
Co-reporter:Yadong Liu;Jun Hu;Xiuli Zhuang;Peibiao Zhang;Xianhong Wang;Xuesi Chen
Macromolecular Bioscience 2012 Volume 12( Issue 2) pp:241-250
Publication Date(Web):
DOI:10.1002/mabi.201100227
Co-reporter:Xiaoyong Zhang, Meiying Liu, Yaling Zhang, Bin Yang, Yan Ji, Lin Feng, Lei Tao, Shuxi Li and Yen Wei
RSC Advances 2012 vol. 2(Issue 32) pp:12153-12155
Publication Date(Web):18 Oct 2012
DOI:10.1039/C2RA22011C
An efficient and general strategy for the dispersion of multi-walled carbon nanotubes in water and organic media was developed for the first time via the combination of mussel-inspired chemistry and the Michael addition reaction.
Co-reporter:Feng Zhang, Siwei Liu, Yi Zhang, Yen Wei and Jiarui Xu
RSC Advances 2012 vol. 2(Issue 24) pp:8919-8921
Publication Date(Web):08 Aug 2012
DOI:10.1039/C2RA21312E
It is widely accepted that the bonding strength of mussel protein is somehow related to the contained pyrocatechol groups. However, by comparing the bonding strengths of synthetic terpolymers before and after neutralization by a diamine, we found that the amino groups may have a great influence on the bonding strength, in addition to the pyrocatechol groups.
Co-reporter:Xiaoyong Zhang, Hongxu Qi, Shiqi Wang, Lin Feng, Yan Ji, Lei Tao, Shuxi Li and Yen Wei
Toxicology Research 2012 vol. 1(Issue 3) pp:201-205
Publication Date(Web):23 Aug 2012
DOI:10.1039/C2TX20035J
The biomedical applications of aniline oligomers and their derivatives have attracted increasing interest due to their electroactive and biodegradable properties. However, no reports have systematically examined the toxicity of these electroactive materials, which has severely hindered their biomedical applications. In this work, the cellular responses of aniline oligomers including aniline dimer, trimer and tetramer to mouse embryo fibroblast (NIH-3T3) cells and adenocarcinomic human alveolar basal epithelial (A549) cells were determined and compared for the first time. Our results demonstrated that the aniline trimer showed the highest cytotoxicity to both types of cells. Compared with the NIH-3T3 cells, aniline oligomers exhibited the least cytotoxicity to A549 cells. Taken together, we demonstrate that both the properties of aniline oligomers and cell types could influence the cellular responses of aniline oligomers. As the first report focused on the cytotoxicity of aniline oligomers, this work provides some fundamental and important information about the cytotoxicity of aniline oligomers, which should be valuable for their biomedical applications.
Co-reporter:Feng Zhang;Siwei Liu;Yi Zhang;Jiarui Xu
Chinese Journal of Chemistry 2012 Volume 30( Issue 10) pp:2275-2280
Publication Date(Web):
DOI:10.1002/cjoc.201200507
Abstract
Four kinds of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) derivatives with the similar backbone and different side groups have been synthesized successfully. When both catecholamine and double bond are tethered to polymer backbone, i.e., the PEG backbone, simultaneously, the polymer can accelerate the curing speed of ethyl α-cyanoacrylate (commercially available as 502) greatly under the same conditions (the curing time of such system is no more than 5 s). Probably this is due to the autoxidation of catecholamines. Through the redox-cycling, catecholamines can produce, collect free radicals, and thus initiate the free radical polymerization. Due to the fast-curing of such material when mixed with α-cyanoacrylate, we could design and develop a new bicomponent super bioglue used in the dentistry or other bioenvironment requiring super fast settlement for further surgical operations.
Co-reporter:Haitao Cui, Yadong Liu, Mingxiao Deng, Xuan Pang, Peibiao Zhang, Xianhong Wang, Xuesi Chen, and Yen Wei
Biomacromolecules 2012 Volume 13(Issue 9) pp:
Publication Date(Web):August 21, 2012
DOI:10.1021/bm300897j
Biodegradable poly(ester amide)s have recently been used as biomaterials due to their desirable chemical and biological characteristics as well as their mechanical properties, which are amendable for material processing. In this study, electroactive tetraaniline (TA) grafted poly(ester amide)s were successfully synthesized and characterized. The poly(ester amide)s-graft-tetraaniline copolymers (PEA-g-TA) exhibited good electroactivity, mechanical properties, and biodegradability. The biocompatibility of the PEA-g-TA copolymers in vitro was systematically studied, which demonstrated that they were nontoxic and led to favorable adhesion and proliferation of mouse preosteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells. Moreover, the PEA-g-TA copolymers stimulated by pulsed electrical signal could serve to promote the differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells compared with TCPs. Hence, the biodegradable and electroactive PEA-g-TA copolymers possessed the properties in favor of the long-time potential application in vivo (electrical stimulation directly to the desired area) as bone repair scaffold materials in tissue engineering.
Co-reporter:Yaling Zhang, Jing Xia, Xiao Feng, Bin Tong, Jianbing Shi, Junge Zhi, Yuping Dong, Yen Wei
Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical 2012 Volume 161(Issue 1) pp:587-593
Publication Date(Web):3 January 2012
DOI:10.1016/j.snb.2011.11.004
An aggregation-induced emission (AIE)-active chromophore 1,2-bis[4-(3-hydroxyphenyl)phenyl]-1,2-diphenylethene (TPE-2PhOH) was synthesized from 1,2-bis[4-bromophenyl]-1,2-diphenylethene (TPE-2Br) and 3-hydroxylphenylboronic acid via Suzuki coupling reaction. TPE-2PhOH nanoaggregates can be obtained from the nonsolvent-induced aggregation process. By alternately depositing 4,4′-biphenyldiazonium (BPD) salts and TPE-2PhOH nanoaggregates, layer-by-layer self-assembled films based on hydrogen-bonding interactions were successfully fabricated onto modified quartz slides. A more stable film was further prepared by subsequent decomposition of diazonium group (–N2+) under irradiation of UV light, which induces the conversation of the hydrogen-bond interaction between the hydroxyl groups on the surface of TPE-2PhOH nanoaggregates and diazonium groups into covalent bonds. The covalently linked self-assembled film exhibited highly fluorescence quenching sensitivity towards volatile of solid nitroanilines (2-nitroaniline (2-NA), 3-nitroaniline (3-NA) and 4-nitroaniline (4-NA)) and 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) at normal atmospheric temperature and pressure. This strategy can provide a platform for developing highly sensitive and efficient chemosensors for harmful compounds and warfare explosives.
Co-reporter:Yen Wei;Sudipto Das;David Berke-Schlessel;Hai-Feng Ji
Topics in Catalysis 2012 Volume 55( Issue 16-18) pp:1247-1253
Publication Date(Web):2012 November
DOI:10.1007/s11244-012-9892-1
We present a re-usable enzyme catalyst system via direct encapsulation of cellobiase in nonsurfactant templated sol–gel mesoporous silica host material with d-fructose as the template. The pore diameter and porosity of the silica host material, controlled by the fructose content, controlled the diffusion of substrate to the enzyme. This in situ immobilized cellobiase showed little or no leakage while could be repeatedly used as biocatalyst with little or no loss of activity after at least 9 cycles.
Co-reporter:Xiaoyong Zhang, Changkui Fu, Lin Feng, Yan Ji, Lei Tao, Qing Huang, Shuxi Li, Yen Wei
Polymer 2012 Volume 53(Issue 15) pp:3178-3184
Publication Date(Web):6 July 2012
DOI:10.1016/j.polymer.2012.05.029
Polyethylene glycol (PEG) and poly(PEGMA) conjugated nanodiamond (ND) have been synthesized via “grafting to” and “grafting from” methods, respectively. In “grafting to” method, hydroxyl groups on ND surface were firstly oxidized to carboxyl groups, and then reacted with thionyl chloride to form acyl chloride groups. The acyl chloride functionalized ND (ND–COCl) was subsequently reacted with poly(ethylene glycol) monomethyl ether (mPEG) in the presence of triethylamine to generate mPEG conjugated ND (ND–mPEG). On the other hand, in “grafting from” method, ND–OH was modified with 2-bromoisobutyryl bromide (ND–Br), and then poly(PEG methyl ether methacrylate) (Poly(PEGMA)) chains were linked on the ND surface through surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) using ND–Br as the initiator and Cu(Br)/N,N,N′,N″,N″-pentmethyl diethylenetriamine (PMDETA) as the catalyst and ligand. The polymer conjugated ND particles were characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). TGA analyses demonstrated that the polymer weight ratios through “grafting to” and “grafting from” methods were 29.8% and 34.4%, respectively. The mPEG and poly(PEGMA) conjugated ND nanoparticles exhibited enhanced dispersibility in organic media. More importantly, due to the relative high graft ratios and molecular weight, poly(PEGMA) functionalized ND was also dispersed well in water. Given the excellent physicochemical and biological properties of PEG and ND, the methods described in current work might be useful for the preparation of functional ND nanoparticles for potential biomedical applications.Graphical abstract
Co-reporter:Lilin Zhou, Jinying Yuan and Yen Wei
Journal of Materials Chemistry A 2011 vol. 21(Issue 9) pp:2823-2840
Publication Date(Web):18 Nov 2010
DOI:10.1039/C0JM02172E
Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles have received great research attention due to their wide spectrum of potential applications. Core–shell structures with iron oxide nanoparticles as the core and with covalently grafted organic polymers as the shell, which has specific functions, such as biocompatibility, fluorescence, and biological activity have been synthesised. These nanostructured compounds could find numerous biomedical applications. This feature article provides a review on the synthetic methodologies for building such magnetic core–shell structures, and on their applications in targeted drug delivery, enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), enzyme immobilization, hyperthermia and biosensors. Promising future directions of this active research field are also discussed.
Co-reporter:Yaling Zhang, Lei Tao, Shuxi, Li, and Yen Wei
Biomacromolecules 2011 Volume 12(Issue 8) pp:
Publication Date(Web):June 23, 2011
DOI:10.1021/bm200423f
An inexpensive, facile, and environmentally benign method has been developed for the preparation of multiresponsive, dynamic, and self-healing chitosan-based hydrogels. A dibenzaldehyde-terminated telechelic poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) was synthesized and was allowed to form Schiff base linkages between the aldehyde groups and the amino groups in chitosan. Upon mixing the telechelic PEG with chitosan at 20 °C, hydrogels with solid content of 4–8% by mass were generated rapidly in <60 s. Because of the dynamic equilibrium between the Schiff base linkage and the aldehyde and amine reactants, the hydrogels were found to be self-healable and sensitive to many biochemical-stimuli, such as pH, amino acids, and vitamin B6 derivatives. In addition, chitosan could be digested by enzymes such as papain, leading to the decomposition of the hydrogels. Encapsulation and controlled release of small molecules such as rhodamine B and proteins such as lysozyme have been successfully carried out, demonstrating the potential biomedical applications of these chitosan-based dynamic hydrogels.
Co-reporter:Wei Cui, Xuemin Lu, Kun Cui, Jun Wu, Yen Wei, and Qinghua Lu
Langmuir 2011 Volume 27(Issue 13) pp:8384-8390
Publication Date(Web):June 10, 2011
DOI:10.1021/la200552k
New types of fluorescent nanoparticles (FNPs) were prepared through ionic self-assembly of anthracene derivative and chitosan for applications as drug delivery carriers with real-time monitoring of the process of drug release. Because of the presence of the hydrophilic groups, these FNPs showed excellent dispersion and stability in aqueous solution. The structure and properties of the FNPs were investigated by using means of 1H NMR, FTIR, SEM, dynamic light scattering (DLS), and so on. The potential practical applications as drug delivery carriers for real-time detection of the drug release process were demonstrated using Nicardipine as a model drug. Upon loading the drug, the strong blue fluorescence of FNPs was quenched due to electron transfer and fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). With release of drug in vitro, the fluorescence was recovered again. The relationship between the accumulative drug release of FNPs and the recovered fluorescence intensity has been established. Such FNPs may open up new perspectives for designing a new class of detection system for monitoring drug release.
Co-reporter:BaoSong Li;HongXu Qi;WenTao Zhai;YaLing Zhang
Science China Technological Sciences 2011 Volume 54( Issue 7) pp:1697-1702
Publication Date(Web):2011 July
DOI:10.1007/s11431-011-4449-2
Polypyrrole (PPy) films were prepared by multi-potential steps polymerization in an aqueous pyrrole solution, with lithium perchlorate and oxalic acid as supporting electrolytes. Morphology and structure of PPy films were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Electrochemical behaviors of PPy films were studied by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The results show that multi-potential steps polymerization improves the conductivity of PPy films and large polymer films can be peeled off easily from the electrode without cracking. Lithium perchlorate and oxalic acid provide appropriate dopants for PPy polymerization. It was observed that the polymerization time and the current density have a crucial influence on the surface morphology of PPy films. Smooth and compact PPy films could be generated under long polymerization time and low current density. Multi-potential steps polymerization decreases the occurrence of peroxidation, which improves the conductivity of PPy films. The parameters for multi-potential steps polymerization have been optimized.
Co-reporter:Yaling Zhang, Jing Xia, Xiao Feng, Bin Tong, Jianbing Shi, Junge Zhi, Yuping Dong, Yen Wei
Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical (3 January 2012) Volume 161(Issue 1) pp:587-593
Publication Date(Web):3 January 2012
DOI:10.1016/j.snb.2011.11.004
An aggregation-induced emission (AIE)-active chromophore 1,2-bis[4-(3-hydroxyphenyl)phenyl]-1,2-diphenylethene (TPE-2PhOH) was synthesized from 1,2-bis[4-bromophenyl]-1,2-diphenylethene (TPE-2Br) and 3-hydroxylphenylboronic acid via Suzuki coupling reaction. TPE-2PhOH nanoaggregates can be obtained from the nonsolvent-induced aggregation process. By alternately depositing 4,4′-biphenyldiazonium (BPD) salts and TPE-2PhOH nanoaggregates, layer-by-layer self-assembled films based on hydrogen-bonding interactions were successfully fabricated onto modified quartz slides. A more stable film was further prepared by subsequent decomposition of diazonium group (–N2+) under irradiation of UV light, which induces the conversation of the hydrogen-bond interaction between the hydroxyl groups on the surface of TPE-2PhOH nanoaggregates and diazonium groups into covalent bonds. The covalently linked self-assembled film exhibited highly fluorescence quenching sensitivity towards volatile of solid nitroanilines (2-nitroaniline (2-NA), 3-nitroaniline (3-NA) and 4-nitroaniline (4-NA)) and 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) at normal atmospheric temperature and pressure. This strategy can provide a platform for developing highly sensitive and efficient chemosensors for harmful compounds and warfare explosives.
Co-reporter:Liucheng Mao, Meiying Liu, Dazhuang Xu, Qing Wan, Qiang Huang, Ruming Jiang, Yingge Shi, Fengjie Deng, Xiaoyong Zhang, Yen Wei
Applied Surface Science (1 May 2017) Volume 403() pp:
Publication Date(Web):1 May 2017
DOI:10.1016/j.apsusc.2017.01.234
•Fabrication of AIE-active luminescent silica nanoparticles.•Surface modification of AIE-active luminescent silica nanoparticles through ring-opening reaction.•These AIE-active silica nanoparticles showed uniform size and morphology.•The AIE-active silica nanoparticles are promising for biomedical applications.Fluorescent silica nanoparticles (FSNPs) have been extensively investigated for various biomedical applications in recently years. However, the aggregation of organic dyes in silica nanoparticles also leads the significant fluorescence quenching owing to the aggregation caused quenching effects of organic dyes. Herein, we developed a rather facile strategy to fabricate FSNPs with desirable fluorescent properties through non-covalent incorporation of fluorophores with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) feature into silica nanoparticles, which were subsequently modified with functional polymers. The resultant FSNPs polymer nanocomposites (named as FSNPs-poly(IA-co-PEGMA)) exhibited uniform spherical morphology, high water dispersiity, and bright red fluorescence. Cytotoxicity results indicate that FSNPs-poly(IA-co-PEGMA) possess excellent biocompatibility. Cell uptake behavior suggests FSNPs-poly(IA-co-PEGMA) are of great potential for biological imaging applications. Taken together, we have reported a facile method for the fabrication of FSNPs through non-covalent encapsulation using an AIE-active dye. These FSNPs can be further functionalized with functional polymers through ring-opening reaction and the resultant FSNPs-poly(IA-co-PEGMA) showed great potential for biological imaging. More importantly, we believe that many other functional components could also be integrated into these FSNPs through the facile ring-opening reaction. Therefore, this method should be a facile and general tool for fabrication of polymer functionalized AIE-active FSNPs.Fluorescent silica nanoparticles with intensive luminescence, high water solubility and good biocompatibility were fabricated via direct encapsulation of aggregation-induced emission dye and subsequently surface modification of polymers through ring-opening reaction.
Co-reporter:Zi Long, Meiying Liu, Liucheng Mao, Guangjian Zeng, Qiang Huang, Hongye Huang, Fengjie Deng, Yiqun Wan, Xiaoyong Zhang, Yen Wei
Materials Science and Engineering: C (1 April 2017) Volume 73() pp:
Publication Date(Web):1 April 2017
DOI:10.1016/j.msec.2016.12.074
•Synthesis of AIE-active fluorescent organic nanoparticles through multicomponent reaction•The multicomponent reaction is very effective and simple.•These AIE-active FONs possess good water dispersibility and biocompatibility.•These AIE-active FONs are promising for biomedical applications.Amphiphilic molecules with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) characteristics have attracted intensive interest for biological imaging applications for their self-assembly into nanostructures and obvious enhanced fluorescence intensity in aqueous solution. Although many AIE-active fluorescent organic nanoparticles (FONs) have been fabricated recently, the direct linkage of hydrophilic small molecules and hydrophobic AIE dyes has rarely been reported. In this work, we reported a one-pot strategy for preparation of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) containing molecules that conjugated the amino group of ATP and aldehyde-terminated AIE dye (PhCHO) based on mercaptoacetic acid locking imine (MALI) reaction. These AIE-active ATP-PhCHO showed amphiphilic properties and could self-assemble into micelles, which displayed high water dispersibility, strong yellow fluorescence, good biocompatibility and biological imaging capability. These advantages make ATP-PhCHO FONs promising for biomedical applications.A simple one-pot multicomponent reaction has been developed for the fabrication of fluorescent organic dyes with aggregation-induced emission feature via direct conjugation of organic dye and adenosine triphosphate.
Co-reporter:Chunping Ma, Gaoyi Xie, Xiqi Zhang, Liutao Yang, Yang Li, Hongliang Liu, Ke Wang and Yen Wei
Journal of Materials Chemistry A 2016 - vol. 4(Issue 48) pp:NaN8015-8015
Publication Date(Web):2016/11/15
DOI:10.1039/C6TB02841A
Here we report the ring-opening crosslinking PEGylation of an AIE epoxy monomer and a 4-arm PEG-amine to prepare a new cross-linked fluorescent polymer (PEG-EP3). When PEG-EP3 was dispersed in aqueous solution, the AIE components formed the hydrophobic cores and the PEG parts covered the surfaces, resulting in fluorescent polymeric nanoparticles (FPNs) with good dispersibility. PEG-EP3 and the resulting FPNs were characterized by gel permeation chromatography, 1H NMR spectroscopy, FT-IR spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, transmission electron microscopy, UV-Visible absorption and fluorescence spectra. The results confirmed the successful synthesis of PEG-EP3, which showed high water dispersibility with a size distribution of 249 ± 1 nm, intense yellow-green fluorescence in aqueous solution with a fluorescence quantum yield of 35%, and a low critical micelle concentration (CMC) of 0.039 mg mL−1. The cell uptake behaviour and cell imaging of the PEG-EP3 FPNs proved their high biocompatibility for biomedical applications. Owing to their excellent biocompatibility by the introduction of PEG as the main component, good colloidal stability with low CMC, and high fluorescence stability, the strategy in this work would provide a new approach to prepare novel biocompatible and robust cross-linked FPNs for biomedical applications.
Co-reporter:Qing Wan, Guangjian Zeng, Ziyang He, Liucheng Mao, Meiying Liu, Hongye Huang, Fengjie Deng, Xiaoyong Zhang and Yen Wei
Journal of Materials Chemistry A 2016 - vol. 4(Issue 34) pp:NaN5699-5699
Publication Date(Web):2016/07/25
DOI:10.1039/C6TB01452F
Aggregation-induced emission (AIE) dyes based on fluorescent organic nanoparticles (FONs) have attracted increasing interest over the past few years. However, the biomedical applications of AIE dyes based on FONs for simultaneous biological imaging and therapeutic applications have rarely been reported thus far. In this study, an amino group terminated phenothiazine (named as ATPHE) with AIE features and red fluorescence was synthesized and utilized for the fabrication of AIE active FONs via a facile one-pot strategy, which relied on the ring-opening reaction between ATPHE and an anhydride containing compound. Then, the keto group of the AIE active polymeric intermediate was subsequently conjugated with hydrazide terminated polyethylene glycol (HTPEG) through the formation of hydrazone bonds. These amphiphilic AIE active copolymers are readily self-assembled into nanoscale particles in an aqueous solution, which resulted in strong luminescence and good water dispersibility of the final HTPEG@ATPHE-co-BTDA FONs. The excellent physicochemical and biological properties of HTPEG@ATPHE-co-BTDA FONs give them high potential for biological imaging and controlled drug delivery applications. Taken together, we developed a simple strategy for the fabrication of AIE active nanoparticles, which are promising for biological imaging and controlled drug delivery.
Co-reporter:Zhen Li, Yang Yang, Zhenhua Wang, Xiaoyong Zhang, Qiaomei Chen, Xiaojie Qian, Na Liu, Yen Wei and Yan Ji
Journal of Materials Chemistry A 2017 - vol. 5(Issue 14) pp:NaN6746-6746
Publication Date(Web):2017/03/10
DOI:10.1039/C7TA00458C
Achieving 3D structures that can be reversibly formed from dry 2D polymer films is useful for the development of suitable smart materials capable of converting an external stimulus into a mechanical response. For the construction of dynamic 3D structures, carbon nanotubes dispersed in liquid crystalline vitrimers constitute so far one of the few available materials that can show robust reconfiguration, easy repair, and low-temperature resistance. However, the severe aggregation of carbon nanotubes causes defects in the materials formed and incurs additional costs. Here, we show that organic polydopamine (PDA) nanoparticles can well replace carbon nanotubes to make suitable liquid crystalline vitrimers for the construction of dynamic 3D structures. We were able to disperse the PDA nanoparticles homogenously into the polymer matrix without carrying out any surface modification and without using any dispersant or sonication, which are required procedures for dispersing almost all inorganic nanoparticles into a polymer matrix. Moreover, the mechanical properties of the liquid crystalline vitrimer were found to be greatly improved. Using this composite, we also showed here a new method to achieve light-controlled 3D deformation into static structures.
Co-reporter:Yingge Shi, Meiying Liu, Fengjie Deng, Guangjian Zeng, Qing Wan, Xiaoyong Zhang and Yen Wei
Journal of Materials Chemistry A 2017 - vol. 5(Issue 2) pp:NaN206-206
Publication Date(Web):2016/11/26
DOI:10.1039/C6TB02249A
Photothermal therapy (PTT) is a rapidly expanding area which has attracted great research attention, and has emerged as a promising method for cancer treatment recently. PTT mainly relies on the local heating effect from photothermal agents (PTAs), which can transform the energy of light into heat. Various inorganic PTAs such as gold nanorods, carbon nanomaterials, layered transition metal dichalcogenides and various polymeric nanomaterials have been developed for PTT applications. However, inorganic PTAs are normally poorly biodegradable and potentially toxic. Polymeric PTAs possess many advantages in comparison with inorganic PTAs and have become the focus for PTT applications very recently. In this article, the recent advances and progress of polymers such as conjugated polymers and melanin-like polymers for PTT applications are introduced. The future direction, challenges and potential development of polymeric PTAs for efficient PTT are also addressed. The objective of this review is to give a brief overview of this emerging field to polymer chemists and material scientists.
Co-reporter:Xiaoyong Zhang, Lu Han, Meiying Liu, Ke Wang, Lei Tao, Qing Wan and Yen Wei
Inorganic Chemistry Frontiers 2017 - vol. 1(Issue 5) pp:NaN822-822
Publication Date(Web):2016/12/23
DOI:10.1039/C6QM00135A
Stimuli-responsive polymeric nanosystems that can respond to biological stimuli such as pH, temperature, glucose, enzymes or redox conditions have been extensively explored for different biomedical applications. Among these, redox conditions should be the most useful stimulus in biological systems, which rely on the significantly different redox states in the circulation/extracellular fluids and intracellular compartments. By incorporation of redox-responsive linkages such as disulfide and diselenide into polymers, different redox-responsive polymeric nanosystems can be fabricated. In this review article, a number of redox-responsive polymeric therapeutic nanosystems and their design principles are included. Recent advances in these redox-responsive polymeric therapeutic nanosystems for controlled cytoplasmic delivery of a number of bioactive molecules (e.g. drugs, biological proteins, plasmid DNA, siRNA) are also highlighted. This review will provide useful information for the design and biomedical applications of redox-responsive polymeric therapeutic nanosystems, which will attract great research interest from scientists in chemistry, materials, biology, medicine and interdisciplinary areas.
Co-reporter:Changkui Fu, Lei Tao, Yun Zhang, Shuxi Li and Yen Wei
Chemical Communications 2012 - vol. 48(Issue 72) pp:NaN9064-9064
Publication Date(Web):2012/08/03
DOI:10.1039/C2CC34633H
A facile “one-pot” chemoenzymatic-ATRP has been successfully developed through the combination of copper-catalytic ATRP and enzyme-catalytic monomer transformation reactions.
Co-reporter:Yaling Zhang, Bin Yang, Xiaoyong Zhang, Liangxin Xu, Lei Tao, Shuxi Li and Yen Wei
Chemical Communications 2012 - vol. 48(Issue 74) pp:NaN9307-9307
Publication Date(Web):2012/07/25
DOI:10.1039/C2CC34745H
A straightforward method to prepare a novel magnetic self-healing hydrogel has been successfully developed.
Co-reporter:Xiqi Zhang, Xiaoyong Zhang, Lei Tao, Zhenguo Chi, Jiarui Xu and Yen Wei
Journal of Materials Chemistry A 2014 - vol. 2(Issue 28) pp:NaN4414-4414
Publication Date(Web):2014/04/23
DOI:10.1039/C4TB00291A
Novel fluorescent nanoparticle (FNP)-based bioprobes are expected to generate new medical diagnostic techniques in biomedical and biological areas for their superior brightness and photostability compared with conventional molecular probes including small organic dyes and fluorescent proteins. Potentially interesting nanoscale platforms for various biomedical applications are greatly attractive due to the potential to avoid exposure of human tissues to toxic drugs, enhancing delivery of hydrophobic therapeutics and fabricating multifunctional imaging, targeting and delivery system. In this review, recent progress in the area of novel aggregation induced emission (AIE)-based FNPs is summarized over the past few years (2007–2013), and the reported fabrication methodologies of these fluorescent systems including non-covalent and covalent strategies are mainly discussed, and the biomedical applications of AIE-based FNPs are also summarized.
Co-reporter:Xiqi Zhang, Xiaoyong Zhang, Ke Wang, Hongliang Liu, Zhen Gu, Yang Yang and Yen Wei
Journal of Materials Chemistry A 2015 - vol. 3(Issue 8) pp:NaN1744-1744
Publication Date(Web):2014/12/19
DOI:10.1039/C4TC02556C
A novel fluorescent amphiphilic glycopolymer (PhE-IM-Glu) was prepared through radical polymerization between an aggregation-induced emission (AIE) monomer (PhE) and 2-isocyanatoethyl methacrylate (IM), and subsequent glycosylation with glucosamine (Glu). The resulting PhE-IM-Glu could self-assemble to form polymeric nanoparticles with high dispersibility in aqueous solution due to the amphiphilic features, with hydrophilic glucose groups covered at the surfaces while the hydrophobic AIE components aggregated into the cores. This obtained PhE-IM-Glu copolymer was fully characterized by a series of techniques including gel permeation chromatography, 1H NMR spectroscopy, FT-IR spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, which firmly proved their successful syntheses. The morphology and distribution of these polymeric nanoparticles were confirmed by transmission electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering, showing spherical nanoparticles with diameters ranging from 100 to 150 nm and 184 ± 41 nm, respectively. UV-Visible absorption spectra and fluorescence spectra were also investigated to determine their optical performances, which demonstrated both good water dispersibility and high yellow fluorescence quantum yield (up to 41%) of PhE-IM-Glu. Finally, biocompatibility evaluation and cell uptake behaviour of the PhE-IM-Glu nanoparticles were further investigated to explore their potential biomedical applications. The demonstrated excellent biocompatibility and intense fluorescence efficiency made them promising for cell imaging. More importantly, the strategy of a facile combination of isocyanate and glucosamine in this work will provide a new way to prepare more and more novel biocompatible AIE-based fluorescent amphiphilic glycopolymers and may expand the scope of their real biomedical applications.
Co-reporter:Ke Wang, Xiaoyong Zhang, Xiqi Zhang, Bin Yang, Zhen Li, Qingsong Zhang, Zengfang Huang and Yen Wei
Journal of Materials Chemistry A 2015 - vol. 3(Issue 8) pp:NaN1860-1860
Publication Date(Web):2014/12/31
DOI:10.1039/C4TC02672A
Novel aggregation induced emission (AIE) dye based cross-linked amphiphilic fluorescent polymers have been prepared facilely by a one pot method. This was carried out first by free radical polymerization between the AIE monomer (PhE) and glycidyl methacrylate (GM), then by the ring-opening reaction between GM and polyethyleneimine (PEI) to obtain the cross-linked polymer. The resultant cross-linked amphiphilic polymer was prone to self-assemble into stable nanoparticles with high water dispersibility due to the surplus amino groups and hydroxyl groups covered on the surface, which can also be further functionalized. The thus obtained nanoparticles demonstrated strong orange fluorescent emission with a quantum yield of about 41% owing to the AIE dyes in the cores of the nanoparticles. Biocompatibility evaluation and cell uptake behaviour of the nanoparticles were further investigated to explore their potential biomedical applications and the demonstrated excellent biocompatibility made them promising for cell imaging.
Co-reporter:Xiaofeng Lu, Xiujie Bian, Guangdi Nie, Chengcheng Zhang, Ce Wang and Yen Wei
Journal of Materials Chemistry A 2012 - vol. 22(Issue 25) pp:NaN12730-12730
Publication Date(Web):2012/05/24
DOI:10.1039/C2JM16559G
This work describes the encapsulation of conducting polypyrrole (PPy) into electrospun TiO2 nanofibers to form PPy/TiO2 nanocomposites using V2O5 as an oxidant and sacrificial template via a simple vapor phase polymerization approach. The PPy/TiO2 nanocomposites could be used as nanoreactors for loading Pd nanocatalysts towards the catalytic reduction of p-nitrophenol by sodium borohydride (NaBH4) at ambient conditions. The Pd nanocrystals synthesized through the in situ reduction by the PPy/TiO2 matrix have a small size of only about 2.0 nm. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), ultraviolet-visible-near infrared spectroscopy (UV-vis-NIR) and thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) results demonstrated that PPy/TiO2 and PPy/TiO2/Pd composite nanofibers were successfully synthesized. Pd nanoparticles supported on the PPy/TiO2 composite nanofibers exhibited good catalytic activity when they worked as catalysts for the reduction of p-nitrophenol. The apparent kinetic rate constant (Kapp) was calculated to be about 12.2 × 10−3 s−1. The protective PPy/TiO2 composite nanofibers render the Pd nanoparticles stable against poisoning by the product of the reaction, enabling the composite nanocatalysts to be recyclable when used over multiple cycles.
Co-reporter:Xiaoyan Zheng, Meiying Liu, Junfeng Hui, Daidi Fan, Haixia Ma, Xiaoyong Zhang, Yaoyu Wang and Yen Wei
Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics 2015 - vol. 17(Issue 31) pp:NaN20307-20307
Publication Date(Web):2015/07/01
DOI:10.1039/C5CP01845E
In this paper we report two different doping strategies to prepare a series of novel HAp:Ln3+ (Ln = Eu or Tb) nanocrystals with tunable aspect ratios via facile hydrothermal synthetic routes. Adopting a one-pot synthetic strategy, with increasing rare-earth doping dosage, the as-prepared nanocrystals have relatively weak fluorescence intensity, and change from nanorods with lengths of about 150 nm into nanowires with lengths of about 2 μm. Using the synthetic pure HAp nanorods as matrices, they are endowed with bright green or red luminescent properties by doping Tb3+ or Eu3+ ions via a second hydrothermal process, and simultaneously retain their original morphologies (diameter 8 nm, length 150 nm). The hydrophobic HAp:Ln3+ nanorods with strong optical properties are converted into hydrophilic particles with a surfactant (Pluronic F127) and successfully applied to live cell imaging.
Co-reporter:Xiaoyong Zhang, Shiqi Wang, Meiying Liu, Bin Yang, Lin Feng, Yan Ji, Lei Tao and Yen Wei
Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics 2013 - vol. 15(Issue 43) pp:NaN19018-19018
Publication Date(Web):2013/09/24
DOI:10.1039/C3CP52883A
Fluorescent nano-graphite oxides (NGO) with different size distribution were prepared via a one-pot hydrothermal route using ultrasmall graphite powder as starting material and subsequently separated using dialysis tubes with different molecular weight cutoff. The biomedical applications of these NGO for cell imaging were further investigated. Fourier transform infrared spectra demonstrated that many functional groups including the hydroxyl group, carboxyl group and epoxy group were present on NGO, which endowed them with good water solubility. These NGO showed size-dependent photoluminescence and excellent biocompatibility with A549 cells. As evidenced by laser scanning confocal microscopy images, NGO could be internalized by A549 cells and located in the cytoplasm. Given their good water solubility, size tunable photoluminescence and excellent biocompatibility, these NGO should be promising for bioimaging and various biomedical applications.
Co-reporter:Lilin Zhou, Jinying Yuan and Yen Wei
Journal of Materials Chemistry A 2011 - vol. 21(Issue 9) pp:NaN2840-2840
Publication Date(Web):2010/11/18
DOI:10.1039/C0JM02172E
Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles have received great research attention due to their wide spectrum of potential applications. Core–shell structures with iron oxide nanoparticles as the core and with covalently grafted organic polymers as the shell, which has specific functions, such as biocompatibility, fluorescence, and biological activity have been synthesised. These nanostructured compounds could find numerous biomedical applications. This feature article provides a review on the synthetic methodologies for building such magnetic core–shell structures, and on their applications in targeted drug delivery, enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), enzyme immobilization, hyperthermia and biosensors. Promising future directions of this active research field are also discussed.
Co-reporter:Feng Zhang, Siwei Liu, Yi Zhang, Zhenguo Chi, Jiarui Xu and Yen Wei
Journal of Materials Chemistry A 2012 - vol. 22(Issue 33) pp:
Publication Date(Web):
DOI:10.1039/C2JM32647G
Co-reporter:Wei Zhong, Fan Li, Lie Chen, Yiwang Chen and Yen Wei
Journal of Materials Chemistry A 2012 - vol. 22(Issue 12) pp:NaN5530-5530
Publication Date(Web):2012/02/08
DOI:10.1039/C2JM15970H
Pristine and aligned electrospun fibers of poly[2-methoxy-5-(2′-ethylhexyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene] (MEH-PPV) have been fabricated by electrospinning. The key to success was using a binary solvent system, in which a poor solvent was introduced to increase interchain interactions of MEH-PPV. At the same time, the poor solvent should have a low surface tension and high conductivity. The emission spectra of pristine MEH-PPV in electrospun fibers, spin coating film and dilute solution were acquired and analyzed. The emission anisotropy of aligned electrospun fibers was investigated by polarized emission measurement. For pristine MEH-PPV fibers, the emission anisotropy is 0.47 at emission peak, indicating alignment of MEH-PPV chains along the electrospun fiber axis. For MEH-PPV/poly (ε-caprolactone) (PCL) electrospun fibers, the interchain energy transfer in MEH-PPV was significantly depressed. As a result, MEH-PPV/PCL electrospun fibers exhibited a strong blue shift of emission maximum and increased emission anisotropy of 0.66 compared with pristine MEH-PPV electrospun fibers. The ease of electrospinning of pristine MEH-PPV provides new opportunities for its application in unique optoelectronic devices.
Co-reporter:Xiqi Zhang, Zhiyong Ma, Yang Yang, Xiaoyong Zhang, Xinru Jia and Yen Wei
Journal of Materials Chemistry A 2014 - vol. 2(Issue 42) pp:NaN8938-8938
Publication Date(Web):2014/08/27
DOI:10.1039/C4TC01457J
We synthesized three new benzothiadiazole-cored cyano-substituted diphenylethene derivatives (PT-OMe, PT-H, and PT-CF3) with different methoxy, hydrogen, and trifluoromethyl end groups, and the synthesis confirmed by standard spectroscopic methods. These end groups endowed them with different donor–acceptor (D–A) effects, and they provide them with a peculiar and completely opposite mechanofluorochromic property. Red-shifted mechanofluorochromic features were found in the PT-OMe and PT-H compounds, while on the contrary, PT-CF3 showed blue-shifted mechanofluorochromic behavior. The mechanofluorochromic mechanism was explored and attributed to the metastable state of the ground compounds and the crystalline-amorphous phase transformation between the original and ground states. Moreover, these derivatives showed reversible significant mechanofluorochromic properties and reproducibility between ground and annealed states, making them promising stimuli-responsive and smart luminescent materials for mechanosensors, fluorescence switches and light-emitting device applications. The introduction of the D–A effect strategy demonstrated in this work would provide a new path to fine tune the optical features of mechanofluorochromic materials with unique and diverse fluorescent properties.
Co-reporter:Xiqi Zhang, Xiaoyong Zhang, Bin Yang, Junfeng Hui, Meiying Liu, Zhenguo Chi, Siwei Liu, Jiarui Xu and Yen Wei
Journal of Materials Chemistry A 2014 - vol. 2(Issue 5) pp:NaN820-820
Publication Date(Web):2013/12/02
DOI:10.1039/C3TC31852D
An aggregation induced emission monomer with two amino end-groups was facilely incorporated into stable cross-linked fluorescent polymeric nanoparticles (FPNs) via room temperature anhydride ring-opening polycondensation and subsequent cross-linking with polyethylenimine. These FPNs showed high water dispersibility, uniform size, intense red fluorescence, and excellent biocompatibility, making them promising for cell imaging applications.
Co-reporter:Chunping Ma, Xiqi Zhang, Yang Yang, Zhiyong Ma, Liutao Yang, Yujiao Wu, Hongliang Liu, Xinru Jia and Yen Wei
Journal of Materials Chemistry A 2016 - vol. 4(Issue 21) pp:NaN4791-4791
Publication Date(Web):2016/04/14
DOI:10.1039/C6TC00939E
Three novel alkyl phenothiazinyl tetraphenylethenyl acrylonitrile derivatives (PhC3P4, PhC6P4, and PhC12P4) with alkyl groups of different lengths (–C3H7, –C6H13, –C12H25) were prepared in high yield (>90%) and successfully confirmed using 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and mass spectrometry. Quantum mechanical computation demonstrated significant difference in the conformation of alkyl chains among the compounds, but showed no obvious difference in the migration of electron clouds. Apparent twisted intramolecular charge transfer (TICT) and an aggregation-induced emission (AIE) nature were evidenced in these derivatives. However, totally different mechanofluorochromic properties were found in three compounds, as PhC3P4 showed an obvious red-shifted mechanofluorochromic feature, while PhC6P4 and PhC12P4 exhibited almost no mechanofluorochromic phenomenon. Therefore, X-ray scattering, time-resolved emission-decay behaviour, and differential scanning calorimetry were performed, indicating that the mechanofluorochromic mechanism of PhC3P4 was attributed to the obvious phase transformation from the crystalline to the amorphous state, and a significant increase of the weighted mean lifetime. In comparison, PhC6P4 and PhC12P4 showed an amorphous state in the original sample, and had no apparent change of the aggregated state and weighted mean lifetime after grinding, which might be due to the steric effect of the long alkyl group in the compounds. Reversible mechanofluorochromic behaviour by fuming the ground sample was observed in PhC3P4, making it a promising smart fluorescent material for fluorescence switches and mechanosensors. The discussion on the effect of alkyl length dependent crystallinity for mechanofluorochromic compounds in this work would provide a new path to modify the performance of mechanofluorochromic materials.
Co-reporter:Meiying Liu, Jinzhao Ji, Xiaoyong Zhang, Xiqi Zhang, Bin Yang, Fengjie Deng, Zhen Li, Ke Wang, Yang Yang and Yen Wei
Journal of Materials Chemistry A 2015 - vol. 3(Issue 17) pp:NaN3482-3482
Publication Date(Web):2015/03/06
DOI:10.1039/C4TB02067G
The development of novel fluorescent nanoprobes has attracted great current research interest over the past few decades due to their superior optical properties and multifunctional capability as compared with small organic dyes. Although great advance has been made in the utilization of fluorescent nanoprobes for biomedical applications, development of novel fluorescent nanoprobes that possess good fluorescent properties, biocompatibility, biodegradability and water dispersibility through a convenient and effective route is still highly desirable. In this work, we reported for the first time that novel fluorescent organic nanoparticles (FONs) can be conveniently fabricated via self-polymerization of dopamine and polyethyleneimine at room temperature and in an air atmosphere within 2 h. These FONs exhibited strong green fluorescence, high water stability and excellent biocompatibility, making them highly potential for biological imaging applications. More importantly, due to the high reactivity of polydopamine, these FONs might also be further functionalized with other functional components through Michael addition or Schiff base reaction. Therefore the method described in this work would open new avenues for the fabrication of fluorescent nanoprobes for various biomedical applications.
Co-reporter:Haiyin Li, Xiqi Zhang, Xiaoyong Zhang, Ke Wang, Qingdong Zhang and Yen Wei
Journal of Materials Chemistry A 2015 - vol. 3(Issue 7) pp:NaN1197-1197
Publication Date(Web):2015/01/19
DOI:10.1039/C4TB02098G
A novel amphiphilic copolymer is facilely prepared through radical polymerization and subsequent ring-opening crosslinking based on poly(ethylene glycol) monomethyl ether methacrylate, glycidyl methacrylate, and amino-terminated aggregation-induced emission dye. Such a cross-linked polymer can self-assemble into nanoparticles with ultra-low critical micelle concentration (CMC), intense red fluorescence, and excellent biocompatibility for cell imaging.
Co-reporter:Qing Wan, Meiying Liu, Dazhuang Xu, Hongye Huang, Liucheng Mao, Guangjian Zeng, Fengjie Deng, Xiaoyong Zhang and Yen Wei
Journal of Materials Chemistry A 2016 - vol. 4(Issue 22) pp:NaN4039-4039
Publication Date(Web):2016/05/03
DOI:10.1039/C6TB00776G
Fluorescent organic nanoparticles (FONs) with aggregation induced emission (AIE) properties have recently emerged as one of the most promising luminescent nanomaterials for biomedical applications due to their unique AIE feature. In this study, we reported the preparation of AIE active FONs through mixing AIE dye (TPE-CHO), 3-aminobenzeneboronic acids (ABBA) and glucan in one-pot. ABBA acted as a molecular “bridge” to conjugate TPE-CHO with glucan via formation of a Schiff base and phenyl borate. The resultant products (Glu–TPE FONs) showed amphiphilic properties and could self-assemble into nanoparticles in an aqueous solution. Glu–TPE FONs showed strong luminescence intensity and high water dispersibility because of the AIE properties of TPE-CHO and hydrophilic nature of glucan. To examine the biomedical application potential of glucan–AIE FONs, the responsiveness, biocompatibility and cell uptake behavior of Glu–TPE FONs were subsequently examined. We demonstrated that Glu–TPE FONs possess good biocompatibility and can be potentially used for biological imaging applications. More importantly, it is well known that the Schiff base and phenyl borate can respond to pH and glucose. Therefore, Glu–TPE FONs can be used for the fabrication of multifunctional biomaterials with stimuli responsiveness.
Co-reporter:Yang Yang, Zhiqiang Pei, Xiqi Zhang, Lei Tao, Yen Wei and Yan Ji
Chemical Science (2010-Present) 2014 - vol. 5(Issue 9) pp:NaN3492-3492
Publication Date(Web):2014/04/23
DOI:10.1039/C4SC00543K
Assembling epoxy, one of the most common and widely used thermosets, by welding with remote control is extremely difficult and has not been realized so far, as epoxy cannot melt or be dissolved. Here we present a very simple but highly efficient solution by exploring the photothermal effect of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to manipulate the transesterification reaction in vitrimers. The carbon nanotube dispersed vitrimer epoxy presented here can be welded by light within seconds or minutes. Moreover, various CNT–vitrimer epoxy materials with different chemical compositions and physical properties can be joined together. Furthermore, transmission welding can be used to weld CNT–vitrimers with other kinds of epoxy or thermoplastic polymers, which is not applicable to welding by direct heating and impossible to realize using the currently available photoweldable covalently cross-linked polymer networks. Additionally, these networks can be efficiently healed by light without the involvement of any glue or sealing agents.
Co-reporter:Qing Wan, Ruming Jiang, Liucheng Mao, Dazhuang Xu, Guangjian Zeng, Yingge Shi, Fengjie Deng, Meiying Liu, Xiaoyong Zhang and Yen Wei
Inorganic Chemistry Frontiers 2017 - vol. 1(Issue 6) pp:NaN1058-1058
Publication Date(Web):2016/12/07
DOI:10.1039/C6QM00307A
Multicomponent reactions (MCRs) have recently received increasing attention for the synthesis of structural complexity in a single step from three or more reactants. They have also been considered as a powerful tool for the construction of sequence-controlled multifunctional polymers owing to their good substrate adaptability, simple operation and high efficiency. In this work, we reported methods that are a combination of the three-component mercaptoacetic acid locking imine (MALI) reaction and reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization in one pot to form luminescent organic nanoparticles (LONs) with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) features, high-brightness, great water dispersibility, ultra-small nanoscale size and excellent biocompatibility. In the reaction system, the MALI reaction and RAFT polymerization happened simultaneously in a “one-pot” route. On the one hand, the AIE-active organic dye with one amino group ((Z)-3-(4-aminophenyl)-2-(10-hexadecyl-10H-phenothiazin-3-yl)acrylonitrile) (named as Phe-NH2) was conjugated with an aldehyde-containing monomer (10-undecenal) by the MALI reaction, while the aldehyde-containing monomer was copolymerized with the hydrophilic monomer polyethylene glycol methyl methacrylate (PEGMA) through RAFT polymerization at the same time. Compared with other fabrication strategies, “one-pot” strategies possess some advantages such as high efficiency, simplicity, and atom economy. On the other hand, due to the good applicability of RAFT polymerization and the MALI reaction, many other multifunctional AIE-active LONs could also be fabricated via adjusting the function of the substrates. Therefore, this strategy should be a general and important route for fabrication of AIE-active materials for different applications.
Co-reporter:Qiaomei Chen, Xiaowen Yu, Zhiqiang Pei, Yang Yang, Yen Wei and Yan Ji
Chemical Science (2010-Present) 2017 - vol. 8(Issue 1) pp:NaN733-733
Publication Date(Web):2016/09/05
DOI:10.1039/C6SC02855A
Smart polymers have been playing indispensable roles in our lives. However, it is challenging to combine more than three stimuli-responses or functionalities into one polymer, not to mention integrating multi-stimuli responsivity and multi-functionality at the same time. Vitrimers, an emerging type of materials, are covalently crosslinked networks that can be reprocessed but are still infusible and insoluble. Herein, we show that simply introducing oligoaniline into a vitrimer results in a covalently crosslinked material that can respond to six different stimuli (heat, light, pH, voltage, metal ions and redox chemicals) and perform six functions (shape memory, welding, healing, recycling, electro-chromism and adsorption of metal ions). New properties, which cannot be found in either neat vitrimers or oligoanilines, are generated, including photo-heal-ability, photo-weldability, pH-induced shape memory, enhancement of the photo-thermal effect due to metal ions absorption and simultaneous multi-tasking operations. Furthermore, the material is low-cost and suitable for large-scale mass production.
![Cyclohexanecarboxylic acid, 4-[(2,5-dihydro-2,5-dioxo-1H-pyrrol-1-yl)methyl]-, 2,5-dioxo-3-sulfo-1-pyrrolidinyl ester](/data/chemimg/105000/103708-09-4.png)
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![Oxirane, 2,2'-[(1-methyl-1,2-ethenediyl)bis(4,1-phenyleneoxymethylene)]bis-](/data/chemimg/3782200/131090-75-0_b.png)
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